Echoes in the Mirror : Redux
by Frakme
Summary: A rewritten and (hopefully!) improved version of my original Echoes in the Mirror story. Follows 'In the Mirror Darkly' from the point of view of Ensign Jane Taylor, an ambitious and scheming young engineer who plans to ensnare the Enterprise's disfigured chief engineer and gets more than she bargained for. M for sex, violence and potty mouth. Mirror Universe AU. NOW COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing here. This is purely for personal entertainment and not monetary gain.**

**This is a complete rewrite of my story "Echoes in the Mirror". The story is essentially the same (with a fair amount of dialogue changes) though the last chapter has had a major rewrite. It is a view of "In the Mirror Darkly" from the point of view of Jane Taylor (the dead woman in the season 3 episode "The Forgotten"). Mirror Universe. Mainly Tucker/Taylor with some other pairings. There are 6 chapters which I will try and get up over the next few days. There will also be a companion piece centred on Major Reed called 'A Patient Man'. **

**Warnings : Violence, torture, bad language, fairly graphic consensual sex, references to non con and dub con. Deathfic and a very unhappy ending. Consider it as an antidote to too much Christmas cheer ;)**

**Ensign Jane Taylor, an ambitious and scheming young engineer, comes on board the ****_Enterprise_**** with a plan to ensnare the ship's disfigured chief engineer. She gets a lot more than she bargained for. **

* * *

Ensign Jane Taylor arrived on the _Enterprise_ with a feeling of relief and apprehension. Relief that she had gotten away from the _Intrepid_, or more specifically Chief Engineer Walters, and apprehension as she wasn't sure if she had gone from the frying pan into the fire.

She made her way to her quarters, her eyes on her feet, avoiding the appraising looks of the crewmen she passed.

Arriving at the tiny cabin, she sat down on the narrow bunk after dumping her bag on the floor. She closed her eyes and rested for a moment before standing up to put her things away. She didn't have much, some civilian clothes, toiletries and a few personal effects including a holo of her father Admiral Jeffries and her mother Edith, the Admiral's favourite concubine. She checked the narrow wardrobe to see there were some sets of uniforms already hanging up, complete with the _Enterprise_'s insignia. She removed the uniform she was wearing, looking at the _Intrepid_'s insignia in disgust and put a new one on.

There was nothing left to do but to report to Engineering. She shivered slightly, despite the warm temperature in her cabin, as her apprehension increased. Very few people didn't know about the _Enterprise_'s chief engineer, a man claimed to be the most talented engineer in the Terran fleet, but who had suffered an accident that left him permanently disfigured. Curiosity drove her to try to find a holo of the man she was going to be working under but she hadn't succeeded. She would have to prepare herself to meet the man in the flesh. It was vital she made a good impression on him, if her plan had any chance of success.

She carefully checked her appearance in the mirror. Her blond hair was tied neatly up in a high ponytail, the make-up she used to enhance her blue eyes was still intact. The uniform flattered her neat figure, perhaps she wasn't as curvy as some of the women she had seen but she was still attractive. However, she knew that she needed to offer more that simple external beauty to attract the protection of a powerful man. After all, the women in the Imperial fleet were all expected to be beautiful as well as skilled at their jobs. Her looks would never help her stand out in the crowd. However, the skills she had inherited from her father might.

She had delayed enough, it was time to go. Checking that the small dagger she wore in her arm sheath was still secure, she headed to Engineering.

* * *

Taylor entered Engineering, ensuring she picked up a radiation badge. She looked around to see if she could spot Commander Tucker. She looked up onto the platform in front of the warp reactor and saw a very attractive man looking at the readouts on the control panel, her heart skipping slightly as she reacted to his appearance. Then he turned his head and she realised that she had only seen the left side of his face. She managed to suppress a gasp as she saw the right side of his face, a mass of burn scars caused by the delta radiation he had been exposed to, his right eyelid drooped as well, adding to the horror of his appearance. Swallowing nervously, she approached him.

"Commander, Ensign Taylor reporting for duty" she said, keeping her voice flat and level, forcing herself to meet his eyes. He in turn looked her over with a disinterested look on his face. He nodded once at her.

"The new EPS Control Specialist" he said, coolly, pointing at a dark haired younger man who nodded at her. "You can assist Lieutenant Rostov."

"Yes sir," she replied but Tucker had already turned away. She went over to Rostov and the two of them got to work.

* * *

Commander Tucker glanced again at the new arrival. She was attractive looking, but then so were the other women on the ship. As long as she could do her job, that was all he cared about. She could be Helen of fucking Troy, it would make no difference to him, if she didn't know one end of a hypospanner from the other.

He reflected on his life before the accident. Once he had been fighting off the women, he even shared a bed sometimes with Hoshi Sato, the most beautiful woman on the ship. Now, he was treated like some freak, because of the accident that he wasn't entirely convinced was an accident, enduring taunts both subtle and unsubtle. Weakness and infirmity was despised in the Terran Empire and he was viewed by many as damaged goods.

None of the women came near him or even looked at him with anything other than revulsion. The only exception had been that Vulcan bitch, T'Pol, who had come crawling into his bed when she found herself going into pon farr thanks to some medical negligence on Phlox's part. And she would have died if he hadn't serviced her. Not that he didn't enjoy it but then he had to deal with the contempt she clearly felt for him afterwards.

He did notice that the young ensign had looked him in the face instead of down at the deck plating, as he had come to expect from other people. He shook his head, don't even go there, he thought to himself, bitterly. He was pretty sure she would make a move on Rostov, his attractive second in command, Tucker smirked to himself. Good luck there, Ensign, he thought. Rostov had no interested in women because he was working his way through the lower ranking males of the ship.

He turned his thoughts back to his engines. He stared into the reactor, knowing that this was where he belonged. He knew he was pretty safe from assassination attempts, due to his lack of ambition and his extraordinary talents. Forest and Archer both knew to keep him sweet, though it didn't stop him wondering if either of them had any involvement in his accident.

Sighing to himself he immersed himself in the next set of modifications he wanted to make, to get yet another increase of power out of his engines.

* * *

Taylor quickly found her routine on _Enterprise_, keeping her head down and getting on with her work quickly and efficiently, wanting to gain recognition as a valuable asset to the Engineering department. Whenever she could she watched Commander Tucker, waiting for an opportunity to approach him. It was difficult, he was reclusive, rarely taking meals in the mess and avoiding socialising with his crew. Occasionally she worked alongside him, as he helped her become intimately acquainted with the inner workings of the_ Enterprise._

She had found herself enjoying these moments, the man was truly gifted and she had already learnt a lot from him in the two weeks she had been here. But although she had caught him looking at her with some interest, she still wasn't sure if he would respond to her, if she made a move on him. But if she was to further her ambitions she needed to gain his favour. She had no intention of remaining a lowly engineering grunt, dodging the attentions of the various higher ranking, predatory males of the fleet, with no hope for advancement.

She was getting somewhere with him, though. He told her in subtle ways that he approved of her work, something he didn't do very often. Generally, he never really noticed what the other engineers did, at least until something went wrong. He was simply too absorbed in his own tasks to notice those around him. The fact he specifically asked for her on certain tasks, implied to her that he had noticed her skills.

There were times she had seen him being goaded by Major Reed, the head of the MACOs and a man she hoped never to find herself alone with. It was clear the two men hated each other, though it never came to violence. Tucker endured the man's insults silently and sullenly, walking away from him. The Major clearly took great pleasure in humiliating the Chief Engineer and Taylor couldn't puzzle out why he never retaliated.

She was extra cautious to stay off the Major's radar. She remember once coming across a crewwoman stumbling out of the Major's office, when Taylor had been carrying out some repair work in the armory. The young crew woman's eyes still haunted her, she had no idea what the Major had done to her and she didn't want to know.

Late one night, she was in the Mess Hall, when she saw Commander Tucker come in for his evening meal. Taylor was having a cup of weak tea, her shift having ended hours ago and the mess hall was fairly quiet. She watched him getting his meal and then decide to sit down in a far corner, the damaged side of his face to the wall.

She continued watching him, seeing again that he had been an extremely good looking man before his accident, with broad shoulders, short dark hair, a strong jaw and a thin straight nose, just the type of man she preferred. Not long after, another group of people came in. Taylor's heart sank as she realised it was Major Reed and two of his MACOs. She shrunk in her seat, praying the Major didn't notice her but he was more interested in the chief engineer.

"Evening, Commander" the Major said, taking the seat next to Tucker, his manner avuncular. "Not having the pizza today?" The two MACOs behind him smirked, Taylor assumed that they were referring to the fact that "pizza face" was a common insult for the scarred man. How juvenile, she thought.

Tucker refused to react to the Major's goading. Instead he pushed his meal aside and got up.

"Not leaving already are you?" The Major also got up and grabbed Tucker's arm.

"Get your fucking hand off me, Major" Tucker snapped, his blue eyes burning with fury.

The Major let go and held his hands up in a conciliatory gesture.

"Calm down, dear" the Major sneered. "You've got a nasty temper on you, Commander. I was just trying to be friendly."

"I woulda thought you'd realise by now that I ain't interested in being friendly with you." Tucker span on his heel and headed towards the door.

"You really need to improve your attitude, Commander, you really piss people off with it. I'd hate for another accident to happen to your pretty face."

Tucker froze for a second but then left the room. The MACOs and Reed laughed at the engineer's back. What did Reed mean? It was almost as if he was implying that what had happened to the Commander wasn't an accident. Taylor shivered in fear and then realised she was alone with Reed and the two MACOs, who fortunately were deep in discussion. As quickly and as quietly as she could, she left to head back to her quarters.

When she got there though, she thought again about the chief engineer. There was something oddly fascinating about him, he didn't seem the same as the other senior officers she had interacted with, shuddering as she remembered being groped by Commander Archer in a turbolift. She even admitted to herself that despite the scarring, she found him attractive. He had both dignity and pride; he was someone who had made his way through the ranks through his talents, rather than through deviousness and power play. She wanted him, not only because he could help further her career and divert unwanted attention away from her, but to know more about him. Calling up the directory on her computer before leaving, she found her way to the Commander's quarters.

She rang the door chime and waited, her hands sweating slightly. What if he turned her away?

"Who is it?" she heard Tucker say over the comm, not sounding particularly welcoming. It was too late to back out now.

"It's Ensign Taylor, Commander" she replied. "Can I talk to you?"

The door opened and she went in, the door closing behind her. She glanced around the room, which was easily three times the size of her tiny cabin. Priviledge of rank, she thought to herself, enviously. She also noted it was extremely neat and bare, no souvenirs from conquered planets or shore leave as most people would have and that it was dimly lit. The Commander was stood near the bed, looking at her with suspicion and something else that she couldn't quite identify.

"What do you want, Ensign" he said, as she saluted him in greeting. Taylor licked her lips nervously, she wasn't sure what to do next.

"Either spit it out or go, Ensign. It's too late to be playing games." He leaned against the wall, his arms folded, looking forbidding. A simple seduction was what she had planned but she knew, looking at him, that it wouldn't work and he would despise her for it. She decided another approach.

"I was hoping for an appraisal of my performance, Commander. You know how it is in the fleet for women, it's hard to get recognition for service. I attracted the wrong kind of attention on the _Intrepid_."

He looked at her with surprise and suspicion. He had been pleased with the standard of her work, it seemed better than her fellow crew mates.

"So you have ambitions, Ensign?" He gave her sardonic smile. "Maybe I need to watch my back around you."

Taylor stepped closer to him, deliberately invading his personal space.

"Not necessarily, Commander" she said, looking directly at him. His face hardened, it was obvious what she was suggesting but he wasn't sure he trusted her motivations so he moved away from her. It was clear she wasn't just wanting him to appraise her engineering skills. But he couldn't help but think it had been far too long since he had a woman offering herself to him, especially one who wasn't afraid to look at him. He looked at her piercingly and decided to test her further.

"There are plenty of other senior officers who would help you" he said. "Commander Archer is the second in command on this ship and it is well known he likes blonds." And brunettes, redheads and anything with a pulse, he thought sardonically to himself.

"I also know he has way too much ambition, Commander" Taylor retorted. "Men with too much ambition get themselves killed and where would that leave me? Besides he isn't an engineer like us, even if his father did develop our current generation warp engine."

"There's always Major Reed" he said, hatred clear in his voice. Taylor shuddered in revulsion. Tucker may look monstrous but Reed truly was. She brought herself back under control and stepped towards the chief engineer again, her heart hammering. It was time to be bold and throw caution to the wind.

"Don't you find me attractive?" she asked. She wondered fleetingly if she had misinterpreted the looks he had given her, perhaps he had more in common with Rostov than she thought.

He placed a finger under her chin, forcing her head up as he leaned over her. The burns on his face looked even worse close up, as though half his face had been melted away. It took every effort on her part not to show her revulsion and she fixed her gaze on his blue eyes, to see lust burning in them. She knew she had him then and without taking her eyes away from him, she removed her uniform top and her bra. He broke eye contact to look at her breasts and to watch her hands as she slip them inside the waistband of her uniform trousers and slide them down her hips and legs. Despite the coolness of the room she felt warm from the intensity of his gaze. Before long she stood naked in front of him.

He didn't say a word, though she heard his breathing become slightly faster as his hands reached to caress her breasts, his calloused fingers feeling rough but gentle across her nipples. She reached for the zipper of his uniform and slid it down, her knuckles deliberately stroking his chest, his stomach and finally his now aroused cock.

She let go of the zipper and reached her hand inside to caress his hardness and he let out a gasp. His hold on her breasts suddenly tightened and she let out a moan, partly in pain and partly in passion.

Abruptly he released her, then grabbed her arms and pulled her towards the bunk. He pushed her to her knees then, removing his arms from the sleeves, pushed his uniform down and took out his erect cock.

"Show me what you can do with that mouth" he said, coldly, belying the heat that lay between them. Taylor complied, taking him in her mouth, one hand resting on his muscular thigh, the other on the base of his thick cock. He groaned at the sensation of her hot, wet mouth and looked down at the blond head bobbing up and down as she sucked greedily. Taylor was no stranger to this and she savoured the salty taste of him as her tongue caressed his shaft. She felt his hands grab her head and his fingers tangle in her hair.

She was aware of a growing warmth between her legs and as she became wet with her own arousal. She continued sucking and licking, feeling his cock throb in her mouth. The hand on his thigh wandered between her legs and she plunged her fingers into her own wet heat as she felt him near climax. He made no move to release her, the stinging of her scalp warring with the deep pleasure she felt between her legs. Caressing his balls she felt him tense up and then he released into her mouth, crying out. She swallowed and then released him, looking back up into her eyes, knowing he could see the lust burning in them, as she was close to her own climax. To her frustration he grabbed her arms and pulled her up.

"Get dressed, Ensign" he said, not looking at her. "You certainly passed this appraisal. Perhaps we can both gain something from this... although you might come to regret it." He then stripped off and headed for the shower, leaving Taylor to dress with trembling hands. She headed back to her quarters, feeling as though she had achieved a hollow victory.

* * *

The next day when she saw him in engineering, he requested her help on a project that he had been working on. It wasn't that he was a glory hogger like many of the others, he simply preferred to do things himself. She felt a touch of excitement that he was willing to involve her in something that was important to him, clearly she had pleased him.

They worked well together and again, she found herself appreciating the opportunity to learn from a master. Time flew by quickly and her shift came to an end. They finished up and put away their tools.

"Ensign, come around twenty two hundred, for another... appraisal" he said, without looking at her. By the time she had composed herself enough to answer, he had gone.

* * *

She arrived at his quarters, having showered and changed into a simple shift, precisely on time. The door opened immediately when she pressed the chime.

This time when she entered he was already undressed, down to his briefs. He was lounging on the bed, watching a holovid, which he switched off when she came in. She wondered what he would require from her this time. The room was again dimly lit, his face was in shadow and she wondered if that was a concession to her. She stepped closer to him so she could look him in the eyes, refusing to be cowed, wanting to know what he was thinking.

"Undress yourself, Ensign" was all he said. Again, she saw the lust in his eyes and some dark emotion she couldn't identify. She stripped off, taking her time and watching his reaction, folding her clothes neatly and placing them on the chair near the desk. When she was fully undressed, he stood up and placed his hands on her hips. He guided her back towards the desk and pushed her legs apart. Taking his hands from her hips to lift her breasts, he greedily suckled her nipples causing Taylor to throw her head back and bite back a moan. Her hands reached around him to stroke the strong muscles of his back and his smooth skin. When her hand reached his right shoulder the texture of his skin changed, feeling rougher as she realised his scars weren't just on his face. She felt him tense up when she touched him there and moved her hand away abruptly, wondering if she'd hurt him.

Apart from that he didn't respond, instead he lowered himself as he kissed, suck and licked his way down her body, down to her mound of venus. She involuntarily bucked her hips towards him as he pushed her knees even further apart and press his mouth to her clitoris, his tongue making contact, causing her to gasp. This time it was her turn to grab his hair in a vice like grip as he worked with a single minded determination to extract helpless cries from her. His fingers joined in, pushing inside her, first one, then two, then three. She barely had the strength to remain standing, her legs had turned to jelly as waves of pleasure rocketed through her as she reached completion and her muscles contracted around his fingers. He stood up then, pulled off his briefs and pulled her around so she now faced the desk, his hardness now pressing against her buttocks.

To her dismay though, she began remembering the _Intrepid_. She felt a rising panic as he pressed himself against her entrance. She closed her eyes, willing the memory to vanish, trying desperately to focus on the here and now. But she was fighting a losing battle and she pushed herself away from the desk, causing him to stumble.

She twisted herself around to face the Commander, who was angry and frustrated at her actions.

"What the hell?" he almost shouted, as he grabbed her arm so hard, she knew there would be bruises.

"Commander, not like that!" Taylor pleaded, a sob caught in her throat. She pushed herself up on to the desk and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him towards her. He in turn pulled her towards him and impaled her on his hard shaft. He thrust into her hard while she buried her face into his shoulder, unable to suppress the tears and the memories that flooded her. Yet she had to submit to him or it would all be for nothing.

Mercifully his climax came quickly and he soon withdrew. As he released her, he saw her tear stained faced.

"What the hell is the matter with you? You did want this, didn't you?"

She nodded, wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry, Commander" she whispered "It wasn't anything you've done." She started picking up her clothes and putting them on. Tucker pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

"Well, would you mind explaining?" his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Contrary to what you might've heard, I ain't in the habit of forcing myself on anyone."

Taylor closed her eyes and composed herself. When he heard the truth he would probably despise her.

"I served on the _Intrepid_ until about six weeks ago" she began. "I had only been on board about three months when I attracted the attention of Commander Walters."

"I know him, the fat windbag. I'm surprise that ship still flies, Walters barely knows his injectors from his plasma coils" Tucker said with disgust. Taylor gave him a ghost of a smile at his assessment.

"You're right, Commander. He has a good team under him and he takes advantage of that. He was always good at giving orders and never got his hands dirty. Anyway the attention I got from him was nothing to do with my engineering skills." She shuddered, remembering.

"He tried it on with me, I refused him. He promised me all sorts of things, a bigger cabin, a promotion, bigger share of the spoils of war but I told him no. I couldn't stand being near him let alone share a bed with him."

And yet you are here with me, Tucker thought, though he kept silent.

"In the end he lost patience and he tried to force me into his cabin. I fought back and I thought that was the end of it. But when I next reported for duty, I found out that I was wrong. Two of my fellow engineers grabbed me and stripped me. They forced me up to the main warp control platform, pinned me over the rail. Then five of them, including Walters, took their turns with me." All throughout, her voice was flat and controlled but he could see she was trembling with the effort to remain so.

This wasn't the first time he had heard similar tales, it never paid to cross anyone more powerful than you and this Tucker had learned himself, having endured unwanted attention himself when he was young. Still he couldn't help but feel an ounce of pity for the ensign.

"I was taken to sickbay when they had done with me. As soon as I was released, I contacted my father, Admiral Jeffries-"  
"He's your father? I didn't think he had any children" interrupted Tucker. He had worked with Jeffries, a single minded and ruthless man with a talent for engineering nearly equal to Tucker's, though directed more into weapons research. He was also the only senior officer he had worked with who, when Tucker was a lowly ensign, who hadn't demanded sexual favours from him.

"My mother is his concubine, she was a former slave" Taylor explained. "But he has always acknowledged me as his daughter, he encouraged my interest in engineering. Anyway, I contacted him and told him what had happened. He arranged for my transfer here. The last time he spoke to me he told me, 'Don't make the same mistake again'."

Tucker looked at her and realisation dawned. So that was why she had put herself his way, she feared he would do the same as Walters. Rage overcame him and he grabbed her, pushing her towards the door.

"Get out." he snarled.

"I'm sorry-" she started to say, reaching to touch him but he pushed her away.

"I said get out!"

She flinched at the violence in his tone and went out the door, heading straight to her quarters.

She tried to stop the tears from falling but she had screwed up again. And her father had made it clear that he wouldn't bail her out again.


	2. Chapter 2

**See Chapter 1 for Disclaimer, warnings etc.**

The next day, Taylor reported for her duty shift. She was dreading it, worried sick about how she was going to face the chief engineer after what had happened last night. Would he punish her? Would she find herself being directed under a faulty plasma conduit or into the path of Major Reed? Some how she didn't think he was like that, he didn't appear to want to play the games of political intrigue that were the lifeblood of Imperial starships. She suspected he'd be happiest if everyone on the ship just didn't bother him at all or better still, disappeared altogether.

She felt guilty though, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had done him a huge injustice. She shook her head, resigned. There was little justice in this world, when you just had to fight each day to stay alive.

Rostov nodded amiably to her when she came in. He was one of the few people who was friendly with her probably because, unlike some of the others, she didn't care about his sexual preferences.

"You'd better avoid the Chief today, Ensign" he said, lowering his voice. "He's in a foul mood. He's already sent Fuller and Jenkins to Major Reed after they dropped the spare intake filter down a flight of stairs." Taylor nodded her thanks to the Lieutenant and looked up her work assignment for the day. She looked at it and sighed. She had to go down to F deck and replace all of the relays in the rear most EPS conduit. There was probably about three hundred of the fiddly little fuckers, she thought with dismay. It wasn't quite scrubbing out the latrines with a toothbrush but it came a close second. Still it beat being sent to the Major, who took great pleasure in overseeing and administering punishments on the ship and it kept her out of Engineering. She grabbed a toolkit and several packets of relays and went to work.

Four hours, three broken fingernails, two electrical burns and one aching back later she had replaced two thirds of the relays. She became aware that someone was coming down the conduit towards her, hearing a scuffling as whoever it was crawled down the narrow conduit. She carried on working but she was struggling to concentrate as the person came nearer and nearer. She cursed as she ended up dropping the fiddly component in between the pipes just below her.

She managed to retrieve the fallen relay and sat back on her heels to see who it was coming towards her. To her surprise and dread it was Commander Tucker.

She straightened her back as much as she could in the confined space and saluted him.

"I still have about one hundred to go, sir" she said, feeling panicky. Was he expecting her to have finished by now?

He nodded at her, his face guarded.

"I've been thinking" he said, "About what you said last night." He stopped and looked away from her.

"Commander, I'm sorry, I was stupid, I never meant to imply you were anything like Walters-" the words came out in a rush, but Tucker held up his hand to stop her.

"Don't apologise, Ensign. Let's be pragmatic about this. We can make use of each other, you want my influence and I have my needs… well, you get the picture. For one thing it makes a change to have a woman actually look me in the face.

"But I am warning you now" he said, moving closer to her, infusing his voice with menace. "You fuck with me and you'll regret it. Do I make myself clear, Ensign?"

"Yes, Commander" she replied, looking down. She had no doubt he meant what he said. He could help her further her career, she aspired to a position like his one day but he also had the power to scupper her ambitions or worse.

"Back to work, Ensign. Report to me when you've finished." He awkwardly turned himself around and left. Taylor sighed and continued her tedious task, wondering if she had done the right thing.

* * *

Tucker eventually made his way back to Engineering. He damn well hoped he hadn't made a mistake with Ensign Taylor. But fuck it, It had been a long time since he had a woman come to him willingly, since the accident. And he couldn't really blame her for looking out for her own interests, isn't that what everyone on this ship did? Besides she was a good engineer, was conscientious about her work, unlike some of the idiots who worked under him.

Taylor was pretty good in bed, he thought, smirking to himself. He'd been expecting her to be passive in their encounters and was surprised at how responsive she had been. When he'd had T'Pol, even in the throes of_ plak tow_ she managed to avoid looking at him. He had just been a means of quenching her lust and saving her life. When he did catch her eye, he could see the shame and disgust she felt at her body's physiological response to him. Taylor's lust, at least until the debacle of last night, surprised and pleased him.

However, he knew he couldn't afford to get sentimental. Eventually, she would move on to someone who could offer her more so he had to remain detached. Detachment was something he had learned was necessary for survival. Even with his unique talents, he wouldn't have come as far as he had without it. He'd been in Taylor's position when he was young and still unproven. With his good looks, he'd attracted senior officers, both male and female, using them just as Taylor was using him. Some of the attention he didn't mind so much, others he was determined to forget.

* * *

He was sat in his office playing around with some schematics when Taylor came in, looking tired and grubby. She came to attention and saluted him.

He nodded to her then turned back to his schematics briefly, letting her sweat for a bit before looking back at her. He had the upper hand and he was going to keep it.

"Gonna set some ground rules, Ensign" he drawled, leaning back on his chair and placing his long legs on the desk, fixing her with an icy stare.

"I expect you to continue to perform your duties in engineering to the same high standard I expect from the rest of the crew. Don't think I'll treat you any different because you're my woman. My top priority is keeping this ship and my engines running at peak efficiency. The Cap'n expects us to go into battle at any opportunity and we will maintain a state of constant readiness."  
Taylor nodded.

"Yes sir, understood." Her voiced was slightly strained with exhaustion but he didn't gesture her to relax her stance at all.

"Keep out of trouble, keep your head down. I've got some personal projects on the go to help improve our engines, maybe even achieve warp six or seven and I want you to work on them with me. You'll have the opportunity to work towards promotion and maybe even commendations."

Taylor perked up as this, she had worked on various engineering projects where a senior officer got all of the recognition, just for signing their name on a PADD. At least Commander Tucker was allowing her to share that recognition. That would be key to her advancing her career.

He then got up from his chair and came over to her, standing in her personal space. He was impressed to see she didn't move, instead her gaze remained fixed straight ahead.

He tugged at the zipper of her uniform jacket, pulling it about half way, just enough to slide his hand inside to fondle her breast. Her breathing sped up slightly as he pressed his mouth to her throat, just above her collarbone. He sucked hard, causing her to gasp in pain. Abruptly he released her with a quick squeeze of her breast.

"I'll let you know when I want you in my bed" he said."Needless to say that I don't expect to find you in anyone else's.

"I also don't want to hear you've been discussing me with the crew. What happens in this office and in my quarters stays there." He slipped a hand around her throat and squeezed lightly, making her gasp for breath. "Do I make myself clear?"

Taylor nodded, gazing up into the Commander's eyes. He felt aroused by the fear he saw in her eyes and smiled without warmth.

"Come around tonight, same time as yesterday" he said, returning to his desk. "One more thing; stay out of Major Reed's way. There is only so far my influence will reach. Don't test it. Dismissed Ensign."

Taylor saluted the Commander once more and left the office.

On coming out, she saw a couple of crewmen looking her over, seeing the zip still undone on her jacket, eyes filled with contempt and amusement. She met their gaze unflinchingly, knowing that to the likes of them, she was now untouchable; Tucker made it clear he was not one to share. She kept her head held high while she went to her quarters.

She showered and changed, into more casual clothing. She picked a tunic with a high neck; on glancing in the mirror, she'd seen a livid red mark on her neck. She touched it, remembering how his lips had felt on her skin.

She shivered, recalling the fear she felt when he placed his hand around her throat. She knew that he was more than capable of killing her, given sufficient provocation. Determined not to let that happen, she headed to the mess hall.

On arrival, she saw Rostov, Fuller and Hess already eating. She got some food and looked over at her fellow engineers. Rostov gestured her to join them. Forcing a calm she didn't feel, she greeted them with careful deference and sat down.

Rostov nodded back civilly but Hess and Fuller looked at her coldly. She remembered that Fuller had been sent to Reed for punishment by the chief engineer. As for Hess, Taylor thought she was jealous of the chief engineer and his talents. Taylor also wondered if he had ever had any personal involvement with the attractive female engineer.

"I hear the war has been going well," said Rostov, making idle conversation.

Hess nodded. Fuller just picked at her food.

"It looks like it even might be ending soon, I hear the fleet will be heading to Tau Ceti" Hess said.

"We should be joining them but there has been no word that I know of" replied Rostov. "I can't see the Captain wanting to miss out on his share of the glory. Perhaps Command has something else planned for us."

"You must have heard something, Taylor" smirked Hess. "What's Commander Tucker been telling you about where we're heading?"

Taylor tensed up.

"He hasn't discussed that with me" she said, coolly.

Hess smirked at her.

"i'm guessing you didn't really do much in the way of talking. Tell me is it true, do those scars go all the way down?"

"If you really want to know" Taylor snapped, "Why not ask him yourself?"

"On second thoughts, perhaps you wouldn't know. I heard that the accident left him unable to perform" continued Hess, smiling cruelly. "It's a shame, before the accident he was quite the stud. He fucked the way he maintains his engines, with plenty of attention to detail." She leaned back and smirked in a knowing way at Rostov, who smirked back at her. "He really thought he was God's gift, well you know what they say, pride goes before a fall."

Taylor, remembering the Commander's threat, refused to be drawn. She didn't really understand why, but she hated hearing him talked about in that way. Probably because it reflected poorly on her. She fought the urge to pull out her dagger and shove it into Hess's throat. No, not here. She would bide her time and maybe Hess could have a little 'accident' of her own.

She smiled at Hess, imagining her being shoved out of an airlock.

"I'll keep what you've said in mind, Ensign" she said, smiling sweetly. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of letting them get to her. "Thank you for your company, I think I'll turn in for the night."

She got up and picked up her tray. Taking it to the disposal unit she deposited the tray and headed for her quarters.

She browsed through the newsnet while she waited until the time Tucker expected her in his quarters. There was nothing much of interest, a couple minor rebellions put down on Earth, news of a victory at Wolf 359, some propaganda vids extolling life in the Imperial Fleet, "Travel the galaxy, meet interesting aliens, then conquer them" was pretty much the theme. She'd also received a message from her mother as well, telling her about life at the Imperial Court. Her father was in favour with the Emperor, due to his talent with devising new weapon delivery systems. It was a pity that favour didn't automatically extend to the Admiral's bastard daughter, she thought cynically. If it did, she wouldn't have need of Commander Tucker.

But she did and she was determined to make the best of it.

She sighed, looking at the holo of her father and mother, the Admiral stern and forbidding, her mother gazing at him with insipid adoration. She was suddenly reminded of her mother reading her fairy stories, when Taylor was a little girl. One of her favourites came to mind when she thought of Commander Tucker.

It was a story of a handsome prince who had been cursed by a witch, turning him into a hideous beast. The beast came across a beautiful young girl and took her to his castle, for he had been told that she could release him from his curse. The girl's father sent the village headsman to kill the beast and rescue his daughter, there was a deathly struggle and as the beast was about to kill the headsman the beautiful young girl begged the beast for mercy.

The beast agreed but instead of the curse lifting as he expected, the beautiful young girl took the headsman's sword and slayed the beast. The beast, on dying reverted to his previous form, but it was too late. The young girl married the headsman who turned out to be even more of a beast than the prince and murdered her on their wedding night. The lesson that the story tried to impart was that mercy was useless and that all men were beasts in one form or another. It was something she had drummed into her by her mother. Still, she often wondered what would have happened if the girl hadn't killed the beast. She sighed and shook her head, she was older and wiser now. She didn't need fairy tales.

Eventually it was time to go and she was soon outside his quarters. He opened the door at her signal and entered. He was busy at his desk, engrossed in a report, ignoring her when she saluted him. She stood, not sure what he expected of her. She studied him carefully as he concentrated on the PADD, the scarred side of his face towards her. She felt the urge to touch it, wondering what it felt like. Did he even have feeling in that side of his face? The scars looked deep enough to have destroyed nerves as well as skin and muscle. Without thinking, she reached out and lightly brushed his cheek with her hand. Without taking his eyes off the PADD he grabbed her wrist.

"What d'you think you're doing?" he said, his voice dangerously soft.

"I'm.. I…" Taylor stuttered, not sure how to answer him.

"You'll have to do better than that, Ensign" he said, in that same tone of voice. He released her wrist and she rubbed it. Then she slowly undressed, as he appeared to ignore her.

Watching him, she could see he was still looking at the PADD but he hadn't pressed the next page key. She'd seen how fast he could read through those PADDs and realised he hadn't been reading it at all. Naked, she moved closer to him, took the PADD from his hand and tossed it on the desk. He looked at her with cold amusement in his eyes. Not allowing that to deter her, she straddled his lap. She could feel his arousal under her and rocked gently against it. He placed his hands on her hips after she pulled off the casual t-shirt he was wearing.

Their last two encounters, she hadn't really had much opportunity to study his body and she did so now. Clearly he took care of himself as she caressed his muscular chest and well defined abs. Frankly, he had a gorgeous body under that uniform. She noted the scarring on his shoulder, which also extended part way down his back, but avoided touching it, knowing now he would hate her doing so.

She began to lightly pinch his nipples while still rocking against him. The cold amusement in his eyes was now replaced with desire as his hands slipped down from her hips to squeeze her buttocks and then slipped under her thighs. He pushed up and she placed her feet back on the floor, lifting herself off his lap. Standing up, he pushed the chair away from himself and removed his sweatpants and briefs.

Again, she openly examined him, taking in the thick, erect cock, narrow hips and the long, muscular legs. He wasn't as built as some of the MACOs she had sometimes indulged in a bit of no strings sex with, but he was clearly no lightweight. She found herself once again admiring his lean, muscular form.

"Like what you see?" he asked, breaking the silence. She felt unnerved by the disgust in his voice, especially as she sensed it wasn't directed at her. She kept silent, moving closer to him, so that his cock pressed into her belly. She reached her hand up to the back of his neck and pressed her lips against his. After a moment's hesitation, he responded, his tongue pushing into her mouth with surprising gentleness, his hands slipping over her buttocks. Her awareness narrowed to the feel of his hard body moulding against hers, the taste of him on her tongue, somewhere between salt and sweet, and the ever present humming of the ship's engines. Eventually they broke away, needing air.

He pulled her towards his bunk and she was aware of her growing arousal, the warm, tight feeling growing in her belly, the ache between her legs. It occurred to her that she had never expected this, never expected that this man would arouse her so easily. He sat on the bunk, pulling her down so she was straddling his hips as he lay back against the bulkhead. Up on her knees she kissed him again, wanting to savour his lips. His hands squeezed her buttocks then his fingers began questing the wet warmth between her legs. Her hand searched out his cock, giving it firm strokes as she guided it towards her entrance. His hands moved to her hips again, pulling her down on to his cock and she gasped as she felt his hard length fill her. Pulling her towards him, he managed to flip them so she was underneath. He began thrusting hard into her and she responded by wrapping her legs around his hips then meeting his thrusts with her own. He fastened his lips on her neck, biting and sucking as she scraped her fingernails down his back and buttocks. The hum of the engines was being drowned out by her gasps and the slap of flesh upon flesh. She felt his hand slip between them to touch her clitoris, making her tighten around him. His fingers pinched hard and she bucked against him. Her muscles contracted around him as another hard pinch sent her over the edge and he followed her mere seconds later, filling her with a liquid heat. His own cries were muffled against her shoulder.

Taylor felt curiously empty when his softening cock slipped out and he got off the bed. He avoided looking at her as he headed for the shower.

"I'll see you in the morning, Ensign" was all he said, as she gathered up her clothes and dressed. She headed back to her quarters, awash with strange emotions. She felt a curious longing and a sense of anticipation that she had never experienced before. She wasn't entirely sure she liked the feeling.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, the Captain had word of a small rebel fleet, heading for Gorlan Station. The _Enterprise_ was ordered to intercept and destroy them before they could attack the station. The fleet comprised of a small Andorian Cruiser and two Tellarite attack ships, hardly a match for the _Enterprise_ but they still managed to cause some damage before they were finally destroyed. Taylor was kept busy in engineering re-routing power as various systems blew out.

Taylor jumped slightly when she heard a console explode, not far from where she was standing. Looking up, she saw Hess, clutching her burnt hands and grimacing in pain, the secondary environmental control station had exploded as she was working on it. Taylor grabbed a burns kit and headed over.

"Show me your hands" she demanded, getting out the burn gel. Hess glared at her, grimacing in pain. Reluctantly she held her hands out and Taylor sprayed the gel on them.  
"You'd better see Phlox" Taylor said when she finished, putting the gel back in the kit.

Hess nodded at her.

"Thanks, Taylor" she said, not meeting Taylor's eyes. Taylor moved back to her station, suppressing a smirk. Hess hadn't realised that Taylor had 'accidentally' rerouted too much power to Hess's console and now she would feel she was in Taylor's debt. Just to be sure, she was careful to cover her tracks.

After the last ship was destroyed, the engineering crew concentrated on repairs. Taylor was kept busy all over the ship, replacing power couplings, circuit boards and testing power conduits as the ship continued to Gorlan Station. She hardly saw Commander Tucker, who was kept busy repairing his warp engines. She was exhausted, having been called to her station at four am, when the Captain called for battle stations. She doubted that the chief engineer would want her tonight, she thought with relief.

Eventually, she was free to go, her work complete. She was tired, dirty and hungry, only having time to eat a couple of energy bars and drink a bottle of water while she was working. She entered her cabin, intent on showering and changing into clean clothes. However, when she entered, she was alarmed to see there was already someone there. Seeing who it was, she didn't even question how she gained entry.

"Hello, Ensign Taylor." Lieutenant Sato got up gracefully from the bunk where she had been sat. Taylor saluted the Lieutenant, standing at attention. She was well aware that despite her relatively low rank, the beautiful Japanese woman held power on this ship, as the Captain's woman.

"At ease, Ensign" Sato said, smiling. Much like a viper would before it struck its prey, Taylor thought to herself. She wondered what the hell she did to warrant this woman's attention.

"Jane, I can call you Jane?" Taylor nodded warily at the other woman, keeping her face carefully schooled into a respectful expression.

"Jane, I must congratulate you on your conquest of Commander Tucker. He isn't the easiest man to approach."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"I consider him to be a friend, the poor man has had a hard time of it lately. I'm glad you can be there for him." It wasn't hard for Taylor to hear the insincerity in Sato's voice, she clearly couldn't give a fuck about the chief engineer. So what did Sato want from her?

"I'm there when he needs me" Taylor replied, wishing that Sato would get to the point.

"Your father is Admiral Jeffries?" When Taylor nodded to confirm, Sato smiled in satisfaction, looking like a cat who had well and truly got the canary.

"You know, I think you and I will be great friends, Jane. We know how hard it is in the fleet for women and we know how to use all of our talents to further our causes."

Taylor knew she couldn't trust Sato, she obviously thought that her relationship to Admiral Jeffries could be of use to her; Sato would turn on her the minute she was no longer useful. Still, a friend like her could help Taylor secure her position on the ship even further so it would be best to ally herself to the other woman. At least for now.

She smiled at Sato.

"I'd like that very much, Lieutenant."

Sato clapped her hands once in glee.

"Get changed and join me in the mess. We have a lot to talk about." She left, flashing another insincere smile in Taylor's direction. Taylor immediately stripped off, showering and changing as quickly as possible. She headed for the mess as ordered, she was not fooled into thinking that was a request, though she had lost her appetite.

Entering the mess hall, she picked up something light and bland to eat and looked around for Sato. The room was mainly empty so she was easy to spot in the far corner, sat with two other crew women, who she recognised but was unable to name. Walking over to the table though, she realised in the other corner was Commander Tucker. He looked up and caught her eye, making a tiny gesture for her to join him. She froze, her gaze passing back to Sato who was deep in conversation. Although he outranked Sato, Taylor couldn't afford to snub her. She placed her tray at the empty place at Sato's table but didn't sit down.

"Excuse me Lieutenant, I'll just be one minute." Sato looked over to where Commander Tucker was sat. She smirked in understanding and nodded.

Taylor went over to Tucker's, table, where he was mechanically eating, reading his PADD. He looked up at her.

"Sato invited you here, then" he said, his voice low. Taylor nodded. He reached up and took her by the wrist.

"Don't come around tonight" he said. "I've still got a lot of work to do."

"Yes, Commander" she replied. As she started to turn away, he tightened the grip he had on her wrist and pulled her down towards him so she had to steady herself against the table to stop falling into his lap. He reached up and captured her mouth in a possessive kiss. He broke it off after a few long seconds, leaving her trying to catch her breath.

"You're mine" he whispered into her ear, biting her earlobe gently. "Don't forget it." He roughly pushed her aside and stood up, leaving the room without so much as a glance at the other table.

Taylor watched him go, before returning to Sato's table. Sato, had been watching the exchange, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"He has it bad, doesn't he?" she said. The other two women looked at Taylor with a mixture of pity and disgust. Taylor felt a flare of anger. She needed no one's pity and she was learning that appearances could be very deceiving.

Turning to the other women, Sato made introductions.

"This is Ensign Jane Taylor, from Engineering. Crewman Liz Cutler from Medicine and Science, Ensign Emma Whitley, Armory." Taylor nodded at the other women and they nodded back.

"There are so few women on this ship, it makes me think we should stick together" explained Sato. "Share information, watch each other's back and so forth."

There were at least a dozen other women on the ship and Taylor wondered why she, Cutler and Whitley had been singled out. As the three women chatted it became clear. Whitley was the niece of Admiral Bordman's wife and Crewman Cutler was involved with Doctor Phlox. Therefore, they were all women who could be of use to Sato.

Sato guided the conversation, feeling out the women for their future ambitions. Cutler had ambitions to be Phlox's third wife, after she had disposed of one of his others. Whitley, was hoping for a transfer off the Enterprise and away from Major Reed. Taylor suddenly remembered that she was the crewwoman she had seen coming out of Reed's office. She suppressed the urge to ask her exactly what had happened.

"Major Reed is a dangerous man" said Sato, dropping her previously playful tone. "He is misogynistic and a sadist. I've heard it said that he literally gets off on blowing things up." She looked at Whitley who nodded.

"I made the mistake of walking into his office without knocking once" she said, in hushed tones, looking nervously around the room. "He was replaying a battle we'd just fought where we destroyed a Vulcan transport ship and he was masturbating while he was watching. I thought he was going to kill me, instead he made me finish him off. It was the most disturbing thing I have ever experienced." She shivered slightly as Taylor, Sato and Cutler exchanged looks both of horror and titillation.

"Something you should know about the Major, Jane" continued Sato. "You've only been here a few weeks but I bet you know that he and Commander Tucker hate each other."

"Yes, I gathered that" Taylor confirmed. "The commander warned me to stay out of his way."

"What you don't know is why" Sato replied. "When the two of them joined the Enterprise, the Major developed a passion for our handsome chief engineer. Commander Tucker was aware of this, used him, then rejected him, rather publicly. Well, passion turned very quickly to hate and a few months later, the Commander met with a very unfortunate accident, when a pipeline of radioactive coolant exploded right next to where he was working. It was sheer luck it only hit him on the right hand side of his face, otherwise he'd be dead. Captain Forest ordered Dr Phlox to do everything to save him, as we need his talents for this ship. However, the delta radiation in the coolant left him with those rather unattractive scars and you know the rest."

"Are you suggesting Reed caused the accident in a jealous rage?" Taylor asked, although she was certain she already knew the answer.

"If he did, he covered his tracks very well" replied Sato. "There were even rumours that Archer or Forest were behind it, sick and tired of Tucker getting too involved with every alien woman that crossed his path."

If Sato did nothing else for Taylor, she was grateful for this information. She knew she would never get it out of the Commander.

Sato stood up and so did the other women.

"The Captain will be expecting me now" she said, "It has been lovely talking to you ladies, we must do this again soon." She smiled beatifically at the other women and left the room. Taylor and the others said their goodnights and left.

Taylor headed back to her quarters considering what Sato had told her. She was starting to build up a picture of the commander before his accident, vain, arrogant and proud. He had been cured of his vanity in a rather destructive way but he still retained his arrogance and pride, as well as a rare kind of dignity. She remembered what he told her about not forcing himself on a woman. She suspected that this was to do with his pride; he didn't want it said that the only way he could have a woman was by force. Having Taylor come to him willingly was likely to have been a major boost to his ego.

As she readied herself for bed though, she was becoming to realise that his looks didn't really put her off him as much as they had when she first met him. Hess was right about one thing, she thought sardonically to herself, the man was very talented in bed. She became aroused at the thought of their previous sexual encounters, thinking that it was a shame he had declined her company tonight.

She slipped into her bunk, her hands slipping between her legs and it was Tucker she thought of as she brought herself off, before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

The next day found them at Gorlan station where the crew, at least those not under any kind of political cloud or punishment detail, were permitted shore leave while the ship was restocked with more armaments and engineering supplies. Commander Tucker had already told her he was staying on board, not wanting to provide station personnel with the chance to 'gawk at the freak' as he put it, with bitter humour. He actually seemed pleased when she declined to go as well.

She had also heard that Major Reed and Doctor Phlox were also staying on board, working on a project that would soon be complete. She hoped that it would keep them completely occupied so they would not need to find amusement amongst the crew that had stayed behind.

Together Taylor and the commander worked on a couple of his pet projects, brainstorming ideas and designing various system improvements. It was times like these she could forget the underlying tension and stress of serving the Empire and free her intellect which, although not equal to Tucker's, was good enough for him to engage with. She amused herself at the thought that the crew in engineering probably thought he was fucking her over his desk rather than arguing over whether a five percent gain in power was worth the extra cost in antimatter.

Not to say they hadn't fucked in his office, after they got into a heated argument when she dared questioned the safety protocols he'd designed into a new antimatter delivery system. And not forgetting that he had her pleasure him orally while he was talking over the comm to Commander Archer, who was unhappy at the latest requisition he had received from Engineering. She had been impressed at how controlled he had sounded as she brought him towards climax, only the whiteness of his knuckles as his hands gripped the arm of the chair gave away the amount of effort he'd expended to keep his voice level.

The three days the ship spent on Gorlan Station gave them a freedom they hadn't had before. There was minimal personnel on the ship, as much of the crew was taking advantage of the eateries, gambling dens and brothels on the station. Tucker and Taylor had even ended up eating in the mess hall together, unmolested by unwanted attention, before heading back to his quarters for some surprisingly satisfying sex. She was astonished though on the night before they were due to leave.

She got up from the bunk to pick up her clothes when instead of heading into the shower as he usually did, Tucker pulled her back.

She suppressed a sigh of irritation, he had taken her three times this evening and she was sore and tired. Resigning herself she slipped back into the bunk with him and reached for his cock, hoping to finish him quickly. However she was surprised when he pushed her hand away.

"Stay" he whispered, sleepy sounding. She realised his eyes were glazed with sleep. She felt an odd fluttering in her belly as he pulled her towards him, tucking her head onto his shoulder. This was new to her, she had never actually slept with any of her previous lovers, after the sex she or they would leave. She actually felt relaxed and… safe? as she lay in his strong arms. Slowly, she slipped into sleep.

* * *

She woke up the next morning, spooned into the Commander, his arms wrapped firmly around her waist, his face buried in her neck. Listening to his soft breathing she figured he was still asleep. She glanced over to the chrono on his desk, just past five am. She debated what to do, should she leave now or stay?

She sighed softly, admitting to herself she was feeling very comfortable where she was. Slowly and carefully so as not to wake him, she turned over so she was now facing him. Her face was close enough to his to feel the warmth of his breath on her face. He was lying with the right hand side of his face buried in his pillow, so she couldn't see the scarring. Once again, she was struck by how gorgeous he had been, especially now in his sleep, the lines in his face softened and his mouth lacking its usual cynical twist.

She couldn't kid herself into thinking that if that accident had never happened, she would be here right now. She'd probably be good enough for a one off fuck, but she wouldn't be his. And she certainly had become accustomed to being his.

Right at this moment in time, she actually felt content. He most definitely had the upper hand in their relationship, having rank on his side but although she was powerless to refuse his demands, she had no desire to do so. She knew that when they had argued the day before she had been testing him, to see how far she could push him and the boundaries of their relationship. He'd had been surprised when she had argued back, then angry. It was obvious he had never been in the situation before, but then when obedience was so well ingrained into the people of the Terran Empire, it was not something to be expected.

Her apparent defiance had then sparked his lust and before long she had found herself shoved up against the wall in his office, her uniform trousers and briefs around her ankles as he thrusted hard into her. She had clung to his arms as the violence of the orgasm that washed over her turned her legs to jelly.

It seemed to her that she was now firmly captured into his orbit, with no desire to escape. However, this state of equilibrium could be disrupted at any time; her star rose and set with his, if he fell out of favour so would she. She had to watch and be ready for that day.

In the meantime she gave into the urge to lightly kiss his lips, to run her tongue along the line of his jaw and to stroke her hand down his side to his hip. Slowly, he opened his eyes, gazing at her with an unexpected warmth.

Abruptly, he pulled his arms from her and sat up, the spell broken, his eyes like chips of glass.

"I need to take a leak and get a shower, Ensign" he said, looking away from her. "I suggest you go back to your quarters, we've got a busy day ahead."

"Yes, Commander" she replied, slipping out of the bunk and picking her clothes up. She dressed herself as he headed into the shower room, while she puzzled out the tempest of emotion that moment of tenderness had evoked in her when he awoke.

* * *

Tucker heard the door to his quarters open and shut as Taylor left. Stepping into the shower, he closed his eyes as the water drenched him. Inwardly he cursed the impulse that had made him want her to stay the night. Although he had to admit he'd had the best night's sleep in a long time, one that wasn't interrupted by nightmares.

He soaped himself off, remembering the feel of her carressing him as he woke. There had been something soft in her eyes as she watched him and he had responded to her. Abruptly though he'd remembered his need to remain detached and pulled away from her. He avoided looking at her as he dismissed her, knowing that if he had he wouldn't have let her go at all. He had to be more careful of their interactions in the future. He vowed to himself he would make use of her body while keeping a tight rein on his emotions.

* * *

The ship left Gorlan Station, once all personnel were back on board and the last of the expected supplies had been accounted for and stored away. The ship was now due to meet up with fleet at Tau Ceti where, according to the newsnet, they were successfully routing the rebels. There was talk of this being the victory that would quash the rebellion permanently.

Crewman Fuller came into Engineering, having been sent elsewhere on the ship to install a new power converter. She was looking rather pale when she came back. She looked at Rostov and Jenkins and they went over to see what had rattled her. Taylor and Hess also drifted over, Taylor keeping a careful watch on Commander Tucker's office.

In a low voice, Fuller told them what she had seen.

"That project that Major Reed and Doctor Phlox were working on?" There were nods all around. "The power converter was to be installed outside the room in which they were installing their project. I heard them call it an Agony Booth. Apparently it inflicts pain by stimulating the pain centre directly, so that no physical damage is done to the body. They had that Tellarite officer, Terev, in it, demonstrating it to Captain Forest and Commander Archer." She swallowed, looking around nervously.

"I swear, they could hear his screams two decks away" said Fuller, shuddering. The others looked at each other in alarm. Taylor spotted the door to Tucker's office opening and with a quick warning glance to her colleagues, they each scattered to their posts.

They were all kept busy, the Commander barking orders to the crew as they scurried around ensuring Enterprise's readiness for battle. Tensions were running high and crewman leaving Engineering noticed a few more MACOs patrolling the corridors.

Taylor had returned from an errand to cargo bay two when a ship wide announcement came over the comm. The crew stood frozen as Archer announced that not only was Captain Forest in the brig but that Commander Archer was now in command and was diverting the ship into Tholian space.

Not long after that, Lieutenant Commander T'Pol, now apparently elevated to the post of First Officer came down to Engineering, in search of Commander Tucker. Not seeing him, she headed straight to his office, while Taylor looked on curiously. She noticed Hess staring at her with an amused smile on her face.

"Do you have something to say?" Taylor snapped at the other woman.

"Just wondering if T'Pol is coming down for another round" Hess smirked. "Maybe the Commander is getting bored with you."

Taylor looked at her, angry and confused.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she demanded, stepping closer to Hess. Hess smiled even wider.

"Don't tell me you don't know?"

"I guess you're about to tell me."

"T'Pol came down here nearly a year ago looking all hot and bothered. She and the Commander went off together and he didn't report back to engineering for three days." Hess looked triumphant as she saw the look of anger on Taylor's face. Clearly she knew nothing about it.

The door opened again and T'Pol exited, closely followed by Tucker, who was looking grim. He glanced at Taylor and gave her a tiny shake of the head, his eyes clinging briefly to hers. Somehow she felt he was trying to reassure her.

The two of them came back some time after, carrying a device she recognised as the Suliban cloaking device. He and T'Pol got to work installing the device, not before Tucker gave T'Pol a radiation meter. Taylor quietly moved so that she could listen into the conversation, without being observed.

"You don't want to end up like me, do you? I've absorbed enough delta rays to guarantee my grandchildren will glow in the dark" Tucker said to T'Pol as he handed her the meter.

The Vulcan woman thanked him and they got to work.

Taylor watched the interaction between them closely. The comment about the delta rays disturbed her, it was something she knew affected all of the crew who worked close to the warp reactor, but it was not something they tended to dwell upon. The comment that he made about him expecting to be dead by the end of the week disturbed her even more, though. Not because she feared her own death but because she feared his.

She shook her head. If Archer's plan didn't work then the whole crew could be dead in less than a week. The Tholians were enemies of the Empire. She could only hope that Tucker and T'Pol could get the cloak working and that Archer knew what he was doing.

Lost in thought she failed at first to see that the Commander was looking at her, eyes narrowed. She met his eyes, questioning, but not daring to say anything. Once again he used a tiny gesture to warn her. But what was he warning her about?

At that point Rostov required her attention, so she turned away. She went to assist the Lieutenant in his task but still listened into Tucker and T'Pol.

The next conversation she heard between them, made her wish she hadn't.

"I did you a favour once" Tucker said to T'Pol, goading the Vulcan woman.

"We agreed never to discuss that" she replied, her voice slightly sharp. Tucker smiled at her, without warmth.

"And I haven't."

"I'd hardly call it a favour, you enjoyed yourself." Even Taylor could pick up the defensiveness in the Vulcan's voice. So much for Vulcans lacking emotions, Taylor thought to herself.

"Several times, as I recall." Tucker's voice carried a mixture of satisfaction and contempt. "So, how many years is it until your _pon farr_ comes around again?"

Taylor's stomach twisted into knots when she heard this. Was Tucker simply goading the Vulcan into a reaction? Or was he looking for another way to assuage his sexual appetite, thinking that Taylor was no longer enough for him? He was certainly quick to dismiss her this morning.

Taylor felt foolish, it was ridiculous to think that she could expect any kind of commitment from her commanding officer. Taylor was merely there to scratch an itch and if she wasn't enough then he would look elsewhere. She just had to ensure that Tucker did not tire of her altogether.

She was checking the work list when she was startled by a loud bang and a flash of light, she turned around to see that Tucker had been thrown away from the cloaking device, which had clearly overloaded, judging from the sparks coming from it. She and the other crew scurried around, isolating power and damping down electrical fires which had started. She was secretly relieved to see the Commander get up of his own accord, though looking dazed and angry.

As she watched him shake off the effects of the electric shock, she felt a hand on her elbow, she turned to see Rostov.

"Ensign you need to head back to cargo bay two" he said handing her the box of filament wire she had brought from there earlier. "This is two nanometer wire, we're going to need the one nanometer wire."

She took the box off Rostov, irritated. She had questioned Fuller earlier about the specification of the wire required and she was adamant that it was the thicker one that was needed. This would take awhile as it was not easily accessible.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Lieutenant" she said, glancing once more at Tucker, who was cursing a blue streak at the cloaking device.

"See that you do, Ensign." Rostov turned back to his station as Taylor left to go to the cargo bay.

She went into the cargo bay, once again having to shunt several very large containers out of her way so she could get to where the filament wire was stored. She put the wrong one back and pulled out the correct one, double checking the labelling to ensure it was correct. Moving the containers back into place took some time too. She stopped briefly in the mess for a quick drink before heading back to engineering. Walking down the corridor she became aware of a hideous screaming, that sent a shiver down her spine. She realised it must be coming from the agony booth and wondered who had been put in there. The route she took to engineering, took her closer to the area where the booth was stored and she felt unnerved as the screams got louder.

She walked faster to engineering, determined to get away from the screaming which sounded oddly familiar.

"It wasn't me!" she heard an agonised shout and felt as though ice water had passed through her veins as she recognised the voice.

Her heart beat fast as she practically ran back to engineering, knowing her worst fears were about to be realised. She stopped near the doors, struggling to calm herself down before entering.

As the door opened, the crew that were there were all facing the doors, almost as though they were waiting for her.

Rostov stepped forward, with an almost pitying look on his face.

"Commander Tucker has been accused of sabotaging the cloaking device" he said. "He's been taken to the agony booth."

Taylor shoved the box she was holding into Rostov's arms. Mastering every ounce of acting ability she had, she schooled her face into an uncaring expression.

"I guess we have some extra work to do then, sir."

She felt a small feeling of relief when she saw a reluctantly admiring look from Hess. Head held high she went back to work. At least she wouldn't be able to hear him from here.


	4. Chapter 4

The next few hours passed slowly, as Taylor struggled to hide her fear, and the crew in Engineering repaired the damage that the cloaking device overload had caused. Taylor avoided the eyes around her, convinced that any moment now, the Major would be coming for her.

She struggled to comprehend what was happening. She didn't believe for a moment that Tucker would sabotage the cloaking device. She knew he didn't give a damn who ran the ship or what they did as long as they left him to work on his engines. He had no ambition and no desire to rock the status quo. Perhaps Reed had fabricated the evidence against him as an excuse to put him in the agony booth? Anger started to replace the fear as she became more convinced that it was Reed's hatred of Tucker that was responsible for his punishment.

After about four hours, there was another ship wide announcement.

Captain Forest had been released from the brig and was now back in command. Archer's mutiny had come to an end. Presumably, she thought, the ship would be ordered to drop out of warp and they would go back to their original plan to meet the fleet. However, the order didn't come. When she checked, she saw that the ship was still on course for Tholian space.

Realising that her shift had finished over an hour ago she left engineering, intent on finding out Tucker's fate. She headed towards the room with the agony booth, her stomach in knots. Soon she could hear the screams again and her heart hammered, her fear threatening to overwhelm her anger but as she moved closer she thought the screams sounded different. As well as screams, whoever it was was also hurling invectives and threats at whoever was manning the booth. To her immense relief she recognised Archer's voice.

With that realisation she headed straight to Commander Tucker's quarters.

The door opened when she press the control, so she didn't need to force her way in. She suppressed a gasp of horror as she found him lying on the floor, curled in a foetal position, shaking and muttering.

"I'm loyal, I didn't do it!" he repeated over and over again, his voice weak with exhaustion, his eyes glazed over in shock. She knelt down beside him, he was dressed in just his vest and briefs, which were soaked in sweat. He'd pissed himself as well, she noted, feeling a mixture of pity and disgust.

She began removing the sodden clothing, stroking his arms and whispering platitudes to him to try and soothe him. As soon as she had him undressed, she helped him stand. Leaning heavily on her, he allowed her to help him into the shower and she turned it on. Stripping her own clothes off she joined him as he leaned heavily against the wall, his face turned away from her. She soaped him, firmly massaging his arms and legs to help stop the tremors. Gradually the after effects of the booth wore off and he started to calm down. He didn't say anything as she lead him out and got some towels so she could dry them both off. She guided him onto the bunk and they lay down together. He clung to her tightly, burying his face in her neck. She put her arms around him, stroking his back.

"It was Reed, he's been dying for an excuse to put me in that thing" he whispered, his voice hoarse from screaming.

"If you didn't sabotage the device then who did?" Taylor asked.

"I don't know!" he replied, anger and frustration colouring his voice. He looked up at her and his eyes had lost the glazed look they had had earlier. Instead, they burned with fury.

"I will find out and I will make them pay" he growled, gripping her tightly.

Exhaustion soon overwhelmed him though and he succumbed to sleep, still clinging to her. She lay awake for awhile, contemplating the day's events as Tucker slept in her arms. Only now did it occur to her to wonder why his ordeal had affected her so much. Her anger at his punishment nearly equalled his and she felt a fierce protectiveness for the man sleeping in her arms. What she didn't understand was why.

* * *

She and the Commander were woken up a few hours later, when she heard Tucker summoned over the comm. It was Sato, summoning him to a senior officer's briefing. They got up and dressed quickly and silently, then she left for her own quarters, as Tucker left for the briefing room.

Back in her quarters she showered and changed into a clean uniform. She went to the mess hall to grab a quick breakfast then headed to engineering.

The ship was still at warp, heading for Tholian space, she realised as she check the navigation monitor. The crew were milling around, at a loss for something to do, speculating on Forest's intentions. There was surprise that Archer hadn't been summarily executed for treason and there was even murmurs of admiration when Jenkins relayed that Archer had survived ten hours in the Agony Booth. Taylor was also impressed, remembering the state she found Tucker in after just four hours. She had a feeling they shouldn't discount Commander Archer. There were smirks all around when he also informed them that Reed had been put in it as well.

Jenkins, who had been on the bridge earlier, told the rest of the engineering crew that the ship was locked into a course to as yet undisclosed location. They quickly scattered to work when Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Commander T'Pol entered, heading straight for the cloaking device and they immediately started working.

Taylor's eyes narrowed as she saw T'Pol attempting to distract Tucker from his work but then she saw him turn on the Vulcan woman in a fury. Taylor drifted closer, trying to listen in to their heated conversation, but at that moment, Rostov spotted her and pulled her away.

"I need you to take a look at the inertial compensators, Ensign. We're getting some power fluctuations."

Reluctantly she nodded and allowed him to direct her to the control panel and got to work.

After a few hours, she heard Tucker announce to the bridge that the cloak was ready. She suddenly felt goosepimples prickling her flesh, her vision blurred briefly and she realised the cloak had been engaged. The _Enterprise_ was flying invisibly through space. T'Pol left to go to the Bridge and Tucker summoned Taylor to his office, shutting the door behind them.

He turned on her with a look of fury on his ravaged face.

"That bitch!" he stormed, "We should chuck all the Vulcans on this ship out the damn airlock!"

"Was it her?" Taylor asked, realisation dawning. He nodded in confirmation, gripping the edge of the table tightly. He told her that, when they went to get the cloaking device, she had induced him to come to her quarters. He avoided Taylor's eyes as he told her that T'Pol had said she had lured him to her quarters by promising him sex. But it was a ruse to allow her to use a mind meld to force him to carry out the sabotage and then wipe his memory of his encounter.

Taylor processed the information calmly. It didn't matter what he had done then, clearly Tucker would have no interest in the Vulcan now after she had violated his mind. And if T'Pol had wiped his memory, he had only her word for what had really happened. Strangely she felt relieved.

"She thought I still wanted her, after I helped her out when Phlox accidentally induced _Pon Farr_ in her" he explained, running his hand through his hair. "When this is all over, she and I are going to have a reckoning. That I can promise you."

He reached out and touched Taylor's hair.

"I'm beginning to think you are the only person I can trust." he said softly. His mouth then twisted into a sardonic smile, as his fingers entangled her hair and he pulled her roughly towards him, making her cry out in pain. "But only as far as I am willing to trust anyone." He kissed her, with bruising force then released her.

"Dismissed, Ensign."

Taylor left the office, at once, her scalp stinging, her lips bruised, yet she still felt the need to please him. Tucker may be cruel to her at times, she thought, but he had earned her loyalty by being honest with her and keeping his promises. She promised herself to talk to Crewman Cutler at the first opportunity. She was intrigued by what Tucker had told her about T'Pol's_ pon farr_. Maybe that could be used against her. It didn't occur to Taylor to question why she wanted to take action against the Vulcan woman.

Not long after, the ship dropped out of warp and Tucker was summoned to the bridge. She had a feeling whatever they were going to do here, she was about to find out.

* * *

She was right, Tucker returned to engineering, scaring up equipment to take with him on an away mission to a mysterious vessel. As he was quickly gathering what he needed, he explained the vessel, the '_USS Defiant_', had come through a rift in time and space. The technology on the ship was approximately one hundred years ahead of the Terran Empire's. He seemed excited at the prospect of exploring the vessel.

"I only hope I get a chance to take some of it with me, the Cap'n has ordered it destroyed" he said, almost forlornly as he picked up his equipment to take with him.

He left to join the other members of the assault team.

Taylor watched him go, silently wishing him luck.

Before long there was no time to dwell on Tucker and the others aboard the_ Defiant_, a call to battle stations let the crew in engineering know the Enterprise was under attack. The crew, under Rostov's direction, quickly scurried to their stations. They struggled to keep to their feet as blast after blast pummelled the ship. Taylor was once again kept busy, rerouting power to the weapons and shields, but struggling as the ship was overcome with cascade failures. The Tholians had trapped the_ Enterprise_ in a web which was slowly crushing the life out of the ship. Weapons failed as did shields and Taylor didn't think the ship had much time left. Then the words she dreaded to hear echoed around the room.

"The Warp reactor is going to breach!" Rostov shouted, frantically. "Everybody out!"

The was a massive rush through the doors as the crew made their escape from engineering. Over the noise of explosions and shearing metal, they could hear the Captain calling for everyone to head for the escape pods. She didn't hesitate, knowing this was her only chance for survival. Somehow she ended up running for a pod with Liz Cutler. She got to the pod and opened the hatch, pulling Cutler inside. Cutler sealed the hatch as Taylor threw herself into the pilot seat and pulled the handle to eject the pod from the ship. She and Cutler secured themselves in their seats as the pod was blown away from the ship.

Up ahead of them they could see the web, Taylor realising they had to somehow maneouvre through the gaps. She went for the attitude controls, trying to aim for one of the gaps. Taylor swallowed hard as she saw two pods either side of her slam into the energy strands making up the web, destroying them.

However luck was on their side as their pod, along with around a dozen others, made it through the web. Not long after clearing the web, they looked back through the hatch window, just in time to see _Enterprise_ destroyed. Cutler and Taylor stared at the explosion in horror.

Taylor steered the pod towards the dry dock as best she could.

"What are we going to do now?" said Cutler, her eyes wide with terror.

"I don't know" Taylor snapped back her. "Pray for a miracle, I guess!"

It seemed their prayers were answered as they watched_ Defiant_ power up and blow itself free of the dock. She knew without doubt that Tucker had performed that miracle. She only hope she would live long enough to thank him.

After destroying the Tholian ships, the _Defiant_ brought the surviving pods onto the ship. Cutler and Taylor opened the hatch and stepped out on to the futuristic ship, looking around curiously. They saw few of the _Enterprise_ crew had survived. She saw Kelby, Jenkins and Fuller from Engineering, as well as Doctor Phlox and Lieutenant Sato. Cutler immediately made a beeline for Phlox.

Taylor was about to intercept other three engineers when Sato approached her and pulled her to one side.

"You made it, Ensign" she said. "Commander Tucker will be pleased." She lowered her voice. "I'm sure you will appreciate this technological marvel, as will he. Keep your eyes and ears open."

Sato left her and Taylor joined the other two engineering crewmembers to look for Commander Tucker, trying to puzzle out Sato's meaning.

* * *

Commander Tucker had watched the destruction of the _Enterprise_ with mixed emotions. He had put a lot of himself into that ship, the many improvements he had made over the years since its launch made her engines very different to the one that was on the drawing board. Yet she was also responsible for his injuries and his drastically shortened lifespan. She had been a good ship though, strong and powerful, so mainly he felt regret that such a feat of engineering should meet such an untimely end.

He thought of Taylor as well and he hoped she made it out alive. He knew the odds were against her, though. The thought of never seeing her, never having her again left a hollow feeling in his stomach that he couldn't easily explain. He tried to push the thought of her out of his mind, he didn't need the distraction, but he watched Reed gather up the escape pods with bated breath.

At Archer's summons, he broke from his reverie and joined the others in the briefing room.

* * *

The four engineers soon found Commander Tucker in a cargo bay, directing the removal of equipment to the engine room of the ship, using the slave workers they had found on the ship. Apparently the Tholians had started to dismantle the warp engines but all the parts had been stored in the cargo bay. Fuller, Jenkins, Kelby and Taylor immediately started assisting.

"We've got twelve hours to get this warp engine operational" announced Tucker, his lips set in in a thin line. "We need to move fast."

He took the opportunity to move closer to Taylor, under the pretext of directing her to take a particular component.

"I'm glad you made it" he said softly, slipping his hand into hers and squeezing it possessively. Taylor squeezed his hand back. Then she gave him a small smile.

"I like the shirt, sir" she said, amusement in her voice, referring to the odd red shirt with the unfamiliar insignia on it. He released her hand, lightly pushing her towards the warp engine parts.

"Back to work, Ensign" he admonished, smirking back at her.

She did as she was bid. Despite the urgency of their deadline, she found herself feeling a little less cynical about their chances for survival. And she was genuinely glad to see the Commander again.

* * *

The next few hours the engineers were busy puzzling out the futuristic warp engine. Tucker was convinced it could achieve speeds of up to warp eight, maybe even more. There were many components that none of the crew were able to recognise, the task seemed impossible. What helped was that the ship's computer core was still intact. Taylor assisted Tucker in interrogating the computer to identify the different components and understand how they worked.

However, events took a sinister turn when it became apparent someone on the ship did not want them to succeed. Kelby had reported that two plasma regulators had gone missing. Tucker was furious, without them, he wouldn't be able to bring the warp reactor online without risking blowing up the ship. He sent Kelby to look for them, while Taylor, Jenkins and Fuller finished bringing the antimatter containment system online. When Kelby didn't report back, Tucker went to look for him, but found him dead, looking like he had been attacked by a vicious animal. Taylor and the others were alarmed by the discovery, would they be next? Tucker arranged for a couple of the MACOs to stand guard in Engineering to prevent entry by the unknown assailant.

An assault team led by Commander Archer, no less, eventually found the saboteur, who was the Gorn supervisor of the slaves. However the price was three dead MACOs and a grievously injured Major Reed. Taylor didn't think anyone would care if Reed failed to recover. It was awfully tempting to go and finish the job, Taylor thought. She hadn't forgotten the state Tucker had been after Reed had put him in the agony booth.

With the recovery of the missing plasma regulators, Tucker was able to bring the warp reactor online and the ship went to warp, on its way to join the fleet at Tau Ceti.

She, Tucker, Fuller and Jenkins sat in the engine room, triumphant at their success, but feeling exhaustion set in. Fuller and Jenkins were speculating on the kind of rewards they would get for returning this ship from the future to Earth. Tucker's eyes were scanning the room, Taylor could tell that he hadn't had enough of exploring the vessel and was itching for a chance to begin reverse engineering the ship. He'd also gotten an update from sickbay to be told that Major Reed was doing badly having suffered severe burns to most of his head and torso when the Gorn's remote bomb had gone off. There was a grim satisfaction in Tucker when he heard the news.

There wouldn't be much time to rest or gloat as Archer had informed them they would be going into battle as soon as the _Defiant_ reached Tau Ceti. With a gleam in his eye Tucker sent Fuller and Jenkins to check the photon torpedoes were all loaded and armed. For some reason, the Tholians hadn't thought to unload them.

As soon as the they had left, Tucker approached Taylor, pulling her up from where she was sitting.

"I imagine your father would be very interested in this vessel" he remarked, as he pulled her towards him.

"You're very likely right, Commander" Taylor agreed. "But as skilled as he is, I don't think he can match your intuition. He'll need someone like you to really understand the secrets of this ship."

Tucker knew, without any kind of false modesty, that she was right. This vessel afforded him a golden opportunity to indulge his passion for anything mechanical. He just had to grab this opportunity before his time ran out.

He ignored the cold feeling in his stomach as he pushed aside the thoughts of his rapidly approaching mortality. It wasn't quite inevitable, but the odds were against him.

He pulled Taylor into a quiet corner of the engine room and slipped his hands inside her jacket, wanting to lose himself in her. She sighed as his hands roamed across her skin and she pushed her own hands down the back of the tight black trousers to seek out his warm skin, lightly kneading and squeezing his buttocks. He pushed himself against her, his hands going lower pushing her trousers and briefs down. He turned her around so she was facing the wall, lightly pinching her nipples as she braced herself using her hands. Unlike the first time he tried to take her like this, she didn't resist, instead she pushed her hips back against him, grinding herself against his hardness. Not for the first time, he found himself wondering at her willing participation when others looked at him with disgust and loathing.

They could both feel the thrumming of the_ Defiant_'s powerful engines through their feet as he swiftly entered her, his fingers manipulating her clitoris, coaxing her towards completion. His own orgasm felt particularly intense and judging by the way she spasmed around him and her muffled cries, Taylor was having a similar experience. They reluctantly broke apart and dressed again.

Impulsively he pulled her into his arms and stared down into her face. She looked back at him, gazing into his eyes unwaveringly. He didn't understand why she was unafraid of looking at his ravaged face but then there were a lot of things he didn't understand about their relationship.

It had started off as a simple transaction, but he was starting to feel there was much more to it.

Giving in to the urge to kiss her, he realised that he was fighting a losing battle to stay detached.

* * *

Taylor looked up at the Commander, trying to puzzle out the tempest of emotions she could read in his eyes. He had never been one to reveal what he was thinking easily but she could read confusion and a kind of wonderment when he looked at her. Before she could consider it again, he kissed her, a kiss filled with not only passion but with longing. Her arms went around his neck and she surrender herself completely to the kiss.

Abruptly, he broke it off. She was puzzled at first but then she realised what he had only moments before, the ship had dropped out of warp.

He left her without another word, intent on getting to the bridge, leaving Taylor to wonder why she wanted him to stay.


	5. Chapter 5

Within minutes of Tucker leaving, the _Defiant_ was going into battle, sweeping its way like an angel of death, destroying the rebel ships with impunity. The battle was over, almost as soon as it began.

Not long after the conclusion of the battle, Commander Archer arrived in Engineering, accompany by Admiral Black. The admiral looked extremely impressed by the ship. They didn't stay long as Archer was clearly eager to show off the rest of his prize to the admiral.

Jenkins left engineering to see if he could scare up some food and drinks for the small engineering crew. When eventually he came back, with a tray full of goods retrieved from the food replicators in the mess hall, he looked very disturbed.

"Have you heard?" he said offering the tray to a grateful Taylor and Fuller. "Commander Archer killed the admiral! We're now on a course with the _Avenger_ to Earth."

Fuller and Taylor exchanged looks. What was Archer planning?

There was a whistle over the comm system and Archer's voice began speaking, addressing the crew of both ships. The three engineers listened in stunned silence as Archer began an impassioned speech justifying his murder of the admiral and his plan to take over Starfleet Command.

Taylor was compelled by his speech, apparently Command had lied about the course of the war, the rebels had been close to a victory. If _Defiant_ hadn't arrived when they did, not one of the fleet ships would have survived. As it was, _Avenger_ was the only one that did.

Fuller and Jenkins were nodding along, clearly they agreed with the points Archer was making about Fleet needlessly expending lives for little gain. Archer was clearly ambitious and with the help of this ship, she began to believe that he could pull off a successful coup at Fleet Command. Not long after Archer completed his speech, Tucker came down to join them.

"I guess you heard the Captain's speech?" the three engineers nodded to confirm. "We'll be arriving at Earth in eight hours. I suggest you go find some quarters and get some rest. Taylor, you're with me." Fuller and Jenkins exchanged a look of amusement, but Taylor didn't react. The two men left, leaving Taylor and Tucker alone. He checked all the systems, fortunately there was a lot of automation on this ship and satisfied, he led them to a crew quarters.

To her surprise he didn't make a move on her at first, instead he handed her a data card.

"These are some of the specs on the _Defiant_, not enough for Earth to plan any kind of defense" he explained. "They're for you to send to your father. Archer needs support on the ground if he is going to be successful at what he is planning."

"Do you think he'll be successful?"

"I don't think it, I'm counting on it. If we meekly hand this ship over to Fleet Command, we'll find ourselves transferred off it. If we're real lucky, it will be to another ship rather just out into space. I want the chance to take this baby to pieces." The desire in his eyes for this technological treasure was obvious.

"Take it to Lieutenant Sato now and return here as quick as you can. I'll be waiting." He pulled her in for a kiss and then pushed her towards the door.

Taylor tracked down Lieutenant Sato, using the internal sensors. She was amazed at how easy it was to access the information contained in the ship's computer - clearly there wasn't the ever present need for secrecy in the other universe. Sato was expecting her, it seemed. She set up an encrypted comm link to Admiral Jeffries, using her technological knowledge to avoid the signal being intercepted or detected.

She greeted her father when he opened the channel.

"Jane, I hope you haven't got into trouble again" he said, irritated. "I told you-"

"I took your advice, Father. I belong to Commander Tucker" she interrupted. "But that isn't why I am talking to you now. I am currently on board the_ Defiant_, a ship one hundred years from the future. I'm sending you some of the specs now."

Taylor put the data card in the slot and Sato entered the commands to transfer the information to the Admiral. She watched as he digested the information.

"This is astonishing, the power of the vessel!" the expression on his face was similar to that of Commander Tucker's, an overwhelming desire to strip this vessel of its secrets.

"Commander Archer is not willing to turn the ship over to Fleet Command, Admiral. Did you know we are losing this war?"

The Admiral glanced away. With dismay, Taylor knew that he did.

"This ship has just wiped out the rebel fleet at Tau Ceti. Our fleet had suffered massive losses here. The remaining fleet can't stand up to this vessel."

"What are you saying, Jane? Is Archer intending an attack on the Terran Fleet?"

Taylor nodded, looking grim.

"It's time to choose sides, Admiral." Archer had convinced her he could do what he said he would do and Tucker had convinced her of the consequences if Archer failed to act. She was not prepared to sacrifice her life for the admirals who had been willing to send them all to their deaths.

"Understood, Jane. I'll be waiting." Sato reached over and closed the connection. She nodded approvingly.

"Commander Archer and I won't forget this. If the Admiral comes through and helps him take over Fleet Command, you will be rewarded." Sato pulled her up and stared at Taylor, her dark eyes menacing.

"If he betrays us, you will suffer for it. That is a promise. Now you'd better go back to our chief engineer."

"Understood, Lieutenant" she whispered.

* * *

She returned to Tucker's quarters and let herself in. He was staring at the computer screen, so intently he didn't realise she was there. She walked over to him, curious about what he was looking at.

She stared in shock at what was on the screen. It was the biographical data of the Charles Tucker from the other universe. Taylor couldn't take her eyes off the picture of the other Tucker. Fair haired, with a warm smile, he was beyond handsome. So unlike her Tucker.

She started reading the biography. Seems he had made his mark on the other universe's history by being a gifted engineer, eventually heading up a research and development division until his retirement from Starfleet.

She noted with shock that he had married the other universe's T'Pol and they had had three children. How disgusting, she thought to herself.

Tucker suddenly noticed her presence and angrily shut down the screen.

"Did you look me up?" she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You're dead" he said harshly. "The_ Enterprise_ went on a mission to the Delphic Expanse to destroy the Xindi and you were a casualty. And they brokered a peace with them so you died for nothing."

Taylor flinched at the cruelty of his words. So she had survived her other universe counterpart. She knew that her Tucker wouldn't.

They were on the cusp of a major shift in the Empire and no one could predict what would happen once the dust settled. They could be honoured and rewarded beyond their wildest dreams or they would both be executed. But even if the former came to pass, there was unlikely to be any help to stop the damage that his long term delta ray exposure was inflicting on him. For now he appeared to be in excellent health but sooner rather than later, his body would start to break down, leading to a painful decline and eventual death, in just a matter of months or even weeks. She felt a slight shiver, she didn't like to think of his death, especially as her own fate could be similar.

The hand Taylor had placed on Tucker's shoulder moved to the back of his neck, stroking the soft skin and the silky hair at the nape of his neck. Tucker pulled her down into his lap and kissed her neck, slipping his hand inside her jacket.

He stopped there, burying his face in her shoulder and simply held her. She glared at the computer, heartily wishing that Tucker had contained his curiosity about his other self.

"Commander, listen to me" she whispered into his ear. "Forget that other you. Who are they to us? They wouldn't survive a minute here. Their universe is just an echo of ours and echoes fade to nothing."

For a moment, he looked up at her as if he didn't know her. But the moment passed and the familiar lust replaced the confusion as he began removing her clothing and his own before taking her to the bed.

He sat down and he gestured her to take him in her mouth, which she did. He threw his head back as she pleasured him, her tongue swirling around the sensitive head of his cock and her hands caressing his balls. He closed his eyes she brought him closer and closer to the edge, then he couldn't hold back any longer and spilled into her mouth with a groan. He opened his eyes and looked down at her as she wiped her mouth. He pulled her back on to the bed and they lay down together. He kissed her slowly, tasting himself on her lips.

He wondered if he would be able to keep her with him after Archer's coup. He pushed the thought out of his mind, there was no point in worrying about it now. Instead he slipped his hand between her legs, his cock beginning to once more come erect as he moved to claim her one more time.

Yet afterwards, he still couldn't dismiss the thought that she would prefer the other, unscarred, him.

* * *

After a few hours sleep, Tucker was needed back on the bridge and she went back to engineering. It wouldn't be long before they would arrive back at Earth. There was anticipation and tension in the air as the ship flew alongside _Avenger_ to change the destiny of the Empire.

Eventually, with little to do, she went to the mess with a view of getting refreshments. On the way she had the pleasure of seeing an unconscious T'Pol being carried by a MACO, Sato following behind looking triumphant. She stopped when she saw Taylor looking curiously.

"She's being taken to the brig pending execution" said Sato, "as is the fate of all traitors to the Empire. Keep that in mind, Ensign."

Taylor nodded, saluting the Lieutenant. She then remembered that she wanted to talk to Cutler about T'Pol.

She found her way to sickbay, where she found Cutler, watching Major Reed. Cutler near jumped when Taylor walked in, then she scowled.

"Where's Doctor Phlox?" Taylor asked, not seeing him.

"He's attending a medical emergency on the _Avenger_" Cutler said as she checked the monitors above Reed's bed. The Major looked a mess, the burn gel barely covering the deep burns obscuring most of his face and upper body. She saw to her surprise he was conscious, though unable to speak because of the tube in his throat. The pain and suffering in his eyes was sweet to Taylor.

"What's his prognosis now?" Taylor asked, not because she cared at all but just to make conversation. Cutler shrugged.

"I'd let him die but Captain Archer hasn't decided what to do with him yet." Cutler turned away from the injured man indifferently. "If he survives he'll look a worse mess than your Commander Tucker."

Taylor followed Cutler into the other room.

"T'Pol's been arrested for treason" she said. "I wanted to ask you something about her. Commander Tucker…" Taylor hesitated, reluctant to talk about something she found so distasteful to her. Taking a deep breath she continued.

"He told me that she went into _Pon Farr_, that Phlox induced it in her by accident."

Cutler smirked.

"It wasn't an accident, Ensign. It was scientific curiosity. He wanted to know if it was possible to artificially induce it and then study the effects on Vulcan anatomy. So he induced it in T'Pol. I guess you know she went to Commander Tucker to satiate herself?" Cutler looked at Taylor, eager to see her reaction. Taylor schooled her features, not willing to give anything away.

"Phlox persuaded Reed into giving him access to the security feed to T'Pol's quarters so he could observe her and Tucker. I saw some of it, they were rutting like animals for three days. I think the Doctor got a research paper out of it." Cutler sounded rather gleeful.

Taylor maintained her composure despite the jealousy that she felt. Foolish, she thought to herself. T'Pol was nothing to him now. But she couldn't help remembering how the other Tucker had taken the Vulcan as life mate. Shaking her head, she turned back to Cutler.

"Could he induce_ pon farr_ again?"

Cutler looked at Taylor, puzzled.

"Why?"

"Just answer the question, Cutler" Taylor snapped, irritated.

"I expect so" Cutler shrugged.

Taylor smiled in satisfaction, and left sickbay, with Cutler wondering what she was planning.

* * *

Back in engineering, they began to be aware of a power drain in the ship. Taylor, Jenkins and Fuller were working frantically to find the drain when they realised the ship was under attack. Who was attacking them? Jenkins contacted Tucker on the bridge. The_ Avenger_ was attacking them and having found the source of the power drain, he was on his way to stop it.

They struggled to maintain their footing as the ship was rocked by multiple blasts. Long minutes passed until the drain had been stopped and they were able to restore power to the shields and weapons. Tucker had been successful. Checking the bridge monitor, it was soon apparent that _Avenger_ had been destroyed. The _Defiant_ resumed its course to Earth.

* * *

It was over. Fleet Command capitulated to the might of the_ Defiant_, though it took a combination of the destruction of the Emperor's palace and Admiral Jeffries rallying support for the coup on the ground. He was the first to swear allegiance, after he killed Admiral Gardner, to Empress Hoshi Sato.

That was a shock for most of the crew on the_ Defiant_. Sato had assassinated Archer and took his ambitions for herself, with the help of Sergeant Travis Mayweather, her lover.

Taylor was relieved her father had come through. She wasn't completely convinced he would. Sato had already met with him to thank him for his help. Now she was waiting for a summons from the new Empress.

* * *

Despite Phlox's treachery, he escaped punishment. He very quickly capitulated to the new Empress, once his mind had been properly focused using the correct techniques by Travis Mayweather. He was requested to allow Major Reed to recover, Sato knew the MACO would still prove useful, despite Mayweather's objections. Tucker was furious when he found out, but wisely kept his anger to himself. However he took a grim satisfaction when he saw that Reed would suffer scarring far worse than his.

As for T'Pol, Sato knew she would have to die. She had attempted to stir up rebellion and was completely untrustworthy. A quiet word from Taylor and Phlox was delighted to get out another research paper on the effects of artificial induction of_ Pon Farr_ in Vulcans. Only this time, Phlox was able to document the progress in a Vulcan without a mate. It took her three days to die.

* * *

Tucker had begun the work to figure out the systems on the ship. He had a pretty good idea but needed to convert those thoughts into actual designs that could be used by fleet shipyards to build a new generation of warships. Fortunately, he had the kind of ingenuity that would make that possible, given the time.

The work kept him busy, which was a good thing. He'd been surprised at first when he heard of Archer's death and Sato's takeover but it didn't matter to him that much. He had gotten what he wanted, or at least some of it. Sato had taken Taylor under her wing and so the young ensign had seemingly slipped from his grasp.

He tried not to dwell on Taylor anymore and went back to work. However, it was hard not to think of her when he finally gave into exhaustion and climbed into bed. He missed her touch, her scent and when he took himself in hand, the orgasms he had seemed empty. When he finally did sleep, the nightmares returned.

* * *

Taylor presented herself to the new Empress, offering her a low bow. Already things had been changing for her, so fast that her head was spinning. Her father and mother were looking on approvingly. Her mother, a fearful social climber who secretly resented that the Admiral would not marry her, set her ambitions on her daughter. She was relieved to be able to remove her from the influence of Charles Tucker, horrified that her daughter would submit to a man of such low ambition and unfortunate appearance. She had shuddered when he had been pointed out to her.

The Empress acknowledged Ensign Taylor. She thanked her for her assistance in putting the Empire back on its rightful path of glorious victory and conquest.

"What can I grant you as token of my gratitude?" she asked.

Taylor was sure in her answer.

"I wish to go back to the _Defiant_, Empress." she said "I know that I could be of best use there. I'm one of only a handful of engineers who have any familiarity with that ship."

Her mother looked like she was going to protest but the admiral hushed her. He knew she had the makings of a fine engineer, he had taught her well and the faster they learned how to use the technology on the _Defiant_, the better. Otherwise, Sato's reign would be a short one.

Sato nodded regally, looking every inch an Empress. She was successfully winning over the denizens of the empire with her charm and beauty.

"Thank you Empress" replied Taylor.

"You will be elevated to the rank of Commander" Sato stated, giving a steel eyed look to the Admiral. "You will keep me apprised of our progress."

Taylor was astonished at the huge jump in rank. It would put her almost equal to Tucker, who had been give the rank of Captain and command of _Defiant_.

Her parents came over to congratulate her, although her mother looked worried.

"Jane, we should find you a husband" she said. "I understand Major Reed is making a good recovery. His family is highly influential and I think he would be agreeable, since you are so much in the Empress's favour."

Taylor looked at her mother in scorn. She was sick of being a pawn. One thing she was determined to do was to take charge of her own destiny.

"I'd rather die before I let him near me" she snapped. Her mother looked shocked.

The Admiral looked at his daughter in understanding and some respect. Looking at her, he felt she had much more of him in her, than she ever did of her mother.

"At least tell me you won't resume your relationship with Captain Tucker!" her mother complained.

Taylor smiled.

"I won't" she said. Tell, she thought to herself as she walked away.

* * *

Back on board the _Defiant_, she felt a sense of belonging as she wandered around the ship. There were many more people now, including Jenkins and Fuller. She now had a team of people working for her, whose goal it was to deconstruct the power distribution network and use it to design systems for the new fleet. It was a challenge she was enjoying. She and Captain Tucker saw each other briefly, but apart from brief conversations about their progress they hadn't had time to talk.

She often watched him, as she had done when she first came on board the _Enterprise_. She saw his energy and passion as he threw himself into the various projects he was working on. He was completely driven, hardly sleeping or eating, obsessed by the _Defiant_. It was captivating to watch.

Yet she was also concerned that he wasn't taking care of himself. He was vital to the success of the project here and so someone had to take care of him. She knew she was the only one who could.

When in her cabin though, she found herself thinking of him in a more visceral fashion. She remembered being with him, the touch of him, the way he possessed her and the intensity of the orgasms he wrested from her. She knew without shame that she wanted him again but he had made no attempt to pursue her. Yet there were times she had caught him staring at her with longing in his eyes. If he caught her staring, though, he would turn away.

Finally, she made a decision. She would go to him.

* * *

The door opened, when she pressed the chime. Taylor entered Tucker's quarters, once belonging to the ship's last captain, carrying a tray of food, carefully concealing her nervousness. The room was brightly lit which added to her discomfiture. Tucker himself was sat at his desk, the scarred right side of his face towards her.

"What can I do for you, Commander?" he said, not looking up from the PADD in his hand.

"I brought you some dinner, Captain" she said. "I know you haven't been eating properly."

He looked at her, surprised. What had brought on this act of kindness? His eyes narrowed in suspicion, she must have an ulterior motive, he thought. He didn't move as she put the tray down. Meatloaf, gravy, mashed potatoes and some unidentifiable vegetables. He looked at it, but despite the fact he hadn't eaten since early that morning, he made no move to touch it.

She let out huff of annoyance.

"I haven't poisoned it, Captain" she snapped. She grabbed the fork and scooped up some of the potato and meatloaf, then ate it. She placed the fork back on the tray as he looked at her half annoyed, half amused.

He ate the meal, to her satisfaction. When he finished he pushed the tray away and picked up the PADD he'd been working on before.

"Thank you, Commander." It was clear he was dismissing her.

She hesitated, before speaking, trying to gauge him but he gave nothing away. She was reminded of a time when he had been sat at his desk, not reading a PADD which she had taken from him and thrown across the desk as a prelude to sex. She elected to remain silent and began removing her uniform.

At first Tucker didn't notice, absorbed in what he was reading. It was when she removed her boots that he looked up to see her standing in just her regulation crop top and briefs.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, Commander?" he said, staring at her.

She froze, not entirely sure what to say. Had she got it wrong, had he finally tired of her?

"Do you not want me anymore?" she said, hating the pleading note she could hear in voice. If he didn't, she had no idea what else she could do.

He shook his head, not fully understanding what was going on. Didn't she realise she no longer needed him any more? What could he offer her that the Empress hadn't? And yet she had come here for more than just to see him fed.

"I appreciate you bringing me dinner, Taylor" he said, almost gently. "But you're under no obligation to me now, you're not my woman any more."

She stepped forward until she was standing close enough for him to feel her warmth, desperation growing inside her. He couldn't turn her away now.

"That's where you're wrong, Captain" she said, softly.

He looked up at her, his face hard.

"I seemed to remember telling you not to fuck with me" he said, pushing his chair back and standing up. "I find it hard to believe that you could ever come to me willingly!" Angry he grabbed her chin hard, forcing her face up to his. She met his hot, angry gaze without flinching.

"Do you see this?" he said, tilting the disfigured side of his face towards her. She heard the pain in his voice and tried hard not to flinch, fearing he would misunderstand. "Do you not understand that you don't have to see this any more?"

She wrenched her chin out of his grasp and instead placed her hand behind his head. She pulled his head down so that she could look closer at the scars.

"It's you that doesn't understand" she said, her face close to his. "You think that just because you can't see beyond your scars that I can't either."

He pulled away, looking stunned.

"I know how you got them Captain. Reed decided that if you didn't want him, then no one would want you. And now you've let him win!"

"And what about you then?" he said, challenging her, not wanting to admit to the truth of her words.

"I learned to see who you really are. To see someone I could admire and respect… and desire." She approached him again, placing her hand on his face.

"Tell me you don't want me and I'll go" she said, her eyes pleading with him. "But you'll be proving Reed right."

His eyes locked with hers and he knew he did want her. Not just because she was willing but because she was not afraid of telling him the truth.

Instead of answering in words, he took her in his arms and kissed her, devouring her lips as she pressed herself against him. She returned the kiss with equal force, their tongues battling for dominance. They eventually broke the kiss, each needing to come up for air. Their eyes clung to each other and the heat between them threatened to consume them both.

They stripped their clothes off and when they were both naked, Tucker pulled Taylor towards the bunk. Sitting down on it, he pulled her into his lap. She straddled him, kissing him again forcefully as his hands stroked and squeezed her buttocks.

She brought her hand to his face, lightly running her fingers over the scars as they kissed.

He broke away to tease her breasts with his mouth, causing her to moan as she clutched his dark hair between her fingers. He twisted to the side, toppling her onto the bunk, allowing her to wrap her legs around him. He busied himself with tasting her neck, biting, sucking and licking his way along her collarbone as she raked her nails down her back and ground her pubic bone against his arousal. He slipped a hand between them to find her warm and wet for him.

His fingers probed her, swirling around her clitoris and pushing into her, making her writhe in pleasure.

He position himself at her entrance but hesitated, catching her wrists and pinning her down onto the bunk. He stared down at her, doubts assailing him.

"Tell me you want me!" he demanded, staring in to her eyes.

"You know I do!" she moaned, her face flushed and her hips flexing, struggling against his hold against her. He held back a little more, his eyes glittering with desire and triumph. The power had shifted back into his hands and he was determined to keep it.

"Who do you belong to?" he demanded.

She sighed and relaxed, her legs parting even more.

"Only you, Captain!" she moaned. "Please..."

He couldn't hold back any longer, burying himself up to the hilt in her tight heat. She let out a ragged cry as he moved in a punishing rhythm. She pushed just as hard back.

She was caught in a maelstrom of building pleasure as she stared up at the man she had chosen. The sensation of him inside her was overwhelming, making her want to crawl out of her skin and into his.

It didn't take either of them long to climax, she went over the edge first, almost sobbing as wave after wave of intense pleasure swept through her, then he followed, crying out when he felt the almost violent contractions of her muscles around him. He collapsed on top of her, then rolled on to his side, taking her with him so they were both eye to eye. They were both panting, from the sheer intensity of the experience and Taylor found herself shaking as though she had just received an electric shock. Tucker pulled her towards him and held her close.

"I'm yours" she whispered as she buried her face in his chest. Life had suddenly gotten that much more simple now. No more uncertainty, her path was laid out for her.

"You're mine" he agreed. Who she was didn't matter to him, she could have been anybody. What mattered was that he was no longer alone.

* * *

**Six weeks later.**

Taylor walked into the captain's quarters, a look of fury on her face.

Tucker looked up at her, curious as to the cause of her anger.

She started pulling off her clothes impatiently, heading towards the shower. Tucker stripped off as well, following her in.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as she turned the shower on. They both stepped in and Tucker pulled her towards him, aroused by her obvious anger.

"My mother!" Taylor spat. "She's been discussing my marriage prospects with the Empress again!"

"She is still trying to push you to accept General Reed?" Tucker asked, his mood darkening. Under the spray, he began kissing and sucking at Taylor's neck.

"How did you guess, Charles?" Irony laced her tone as her fingers caressed and pinched his nipples into hardness.

"I should've killed that bastard when I had the chance" he growled, reaching for the shower gel and soaping Taylor, paying special attention to her breasts and buttocks.

"I told the Empress you said not to trust him," she sighed, her breathing becoming slightly ragged.

"She is becoming too reliant on him to quell pockets of rebellion" Tucker complained. "When he's finished, who will he turn his lust for violence on to next?"

The two of them kissed slowly and sensuously as the warm water flowed over them both.

"So what exactly has your mother been saying, Taylor?" Tucker asked, returning his attention to her neck.

"She's trying to persuade the Empress to give me to Reed." She shuddered and pulled herself closer to Tucker. "For some reason, the Empress is inclined to listen to her, though she hasn't agreed to it yet. Why she didn't promote Mayweather to head her security forces, I'll never know!"

"The Empress likes to keep Mayweather as close as possible. After all, he can't be in her bed if he is off oppressing rebels."

"I think you're right there, Charles" she sighed, enjoying the sensation of his hands exploring her skin. "Mother is driving me mad though, she can't see why I want to stay with you."

"Well I can understand that... I guess she'd rather see you married to him?" Tucker smirked. His face then darkened. Reed, despite his preference for male lovers, would take great pleasure in taking Tucker's woman as his wife. Reed had never gotten over Tucker's public rejection of him. He shivered involuntarily, Taylor wouldn't last long as Reed's wife.

"You're not good enough, in her eyes" Taylor replied, reaching for Tucker's cock, caressing it and running her thumb over the tip, making him buck. In retaliation, he slipped his fingers into her wet folds.

"Of course, Jane, we could upset their plans if I marry you?" His fingers pinched her clitoris, making her moan.

"Yes!" she cried out, as his fingers coaxed her climax out of her. She squeezed and stroked his cock, coaxing out his own orgasm. He cried out as he came, leaning back against the wall of the shower. When the last spasms faded, he pulled her against him again.

"We'll get it done as soon as possible" he said, before kissing her slow and deep. Pulling away from her he smiled humourlessly.

"Just don't expect me to love you, Jane."

Taylor smiled at him back. Hooking a leg around his hip, she reached for his cock again, awakening it, wanting him inside her.

"I wouldn't expect anything more than I already have, Charles."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N This is somewhat different from my original epilogue, with a few extra scenes. It ends the same way though.**

**1 year into the Glorious Reign of Empress Hoshi Sato**

Jane Tucker finished the specs she was working on and saved them, ready to transmit to Admiral Jeffries. She glanced across at the bed, where her husband lay sleeping. She was worried, he seemed to be tiring more of late, she had to encourage him to eat and he was making less sexual demands of her. She knew what it meant, the delta rays were now starting to exert a toll on his body.

She moved over to him and knelt beside him, lightly stroking his hair. She snatched her hand away when he began to stir but it was too late, his eyes opened.

"Jane?" he murmured. "How long have I've been asleep?"

"Three hours."

He sat up abruptly, wiping at his eyes.

"Shit! You should have woken me earlier, I've still got to finish the specs on-"

"On nothing, Charles" Jane interrupted. 'I've taken care of it already." She paused.

"I want you to see the doctor" she said.

"No" he said flatly. "I'm fine."

"I disagree."

"There's nothing wrong with me!" He stood up, trying to ignore the dizziness that suddenly hit him, knowing Jane wouldn't have missed it.

"Move, woman" he snapped impatiently, as she stood up and took his arm. "Get undressed; I gonna take a leak." He moved into the head and firmly shut the door behind him. He used the toilet, trying to pretend he didn't see the traces of blood. He knew she was right but he wasn't ready to face the truth yet, not when he had so much still left to do.

For one thing he was certain that Jane still wasn't pregnant yet. If he did nothing else he was going to have to see the doctor about unfreezing the sperm he had put in storage years ago. It was obvious that the doctors were right and the improperly shielded warp drives had rendered the men who worked on them sterile, though not the women.

He'd had no compunction about invading his wife's privacy to inquire of Dr Phlox the state of her fertility and to ensure she hadn't lied when she agreed to stop the contraceptive boosters, he had demanded this when he married her. He was haunted by his own mortality and the knowledge that his other self had managed to sire three half breed brats on his Vulcan mate. That knowledge ate him like a canker though he had taken a weird satisfaction in knowing they were all girls.

He walked back into the main room, already nude. To his satisfaction, Jane had obeyed him and was waiting on the bed having stripped herself off. His gaze raked down her naked form and he was relieved to feel the lust curling in his groin and his cock beginning to respond.

He'd always had a high sex drive but lately he had been dismayed to find his libido was lessening. At first he thought he was simply getting bored of his wife but when he sought gratification elsewhere and he successfully copulated with the other party it was less satisfying and he'd even had to endure the humiliation of being impotent with one of them.

He stood by the bed watching Jane spread her legs for him. He knew she knew he had been visiting brothels on Earth but she wouldn't confront him as long as he returned to her. He smiled mirthlessly at her; he still had some power over her.

Jane stared up her husband, wondering what he was thinking. She was relieved to see he was responding to her. She parted her legs in invitation, waiting for him to approach her.

"Touch yourself" he whispered, as his hands stroked his hardening cock. He watched as her hands parted her folds and she pleasured herself with her fingers. Glancing at her face he waited until he could see she was close.

"On your hands and knees" he ordered. She stopped what she was doing and did as he bid, a look of frustration on her face. He got up on the bed behind her and thrust hard into her. She cried out as he did so, her hips bucking as she tried to get some friction on to her aching clitoris.

His hand stroked down her belly as he continued to thrust, long, slow and hard. His fingers, to her intense frustration, were resting on her pubic mound.

"Please, Charles!" she moaned. He smiled and his fingers gave her the release she craved. He felt her muscles tighten around him and came hard inside her.

Finished, he got off the bed.

"We're leaving the ship in the morning" he said. "There's someone we need to visit."

"Who?" asked Jane.

Tucker didn't respond. He went back to the head and in the shower. So Jane wasn't able stop him from falling when another wave of dizziness overtook him. Instead he slumped hard against the shower wall, barely managing to remain upright.

Jane heard the bang and immediately went into the head, alarmed. Her husband was leaning heavily on the wall, his face pale, the scars even more livid in contrast.

"I'm calling the doctor!" she said. "Charles, we can't do this again." She turned to hit the comm panel on the wall but he had recovered enough to snatch her hand away.

"If I want to fuck my wife, I will. I gotta while I still can."

Jane stopped, alarmed by the despair in his voice.

She pulled him into an embrace. He resisted at first but then he put his arms around her. Pulling away she moved over to the shower and turned it on. In a voice that didn't seem her own, she spoke soothingly to him.

"Of course you can, I'm here for you."

He said nothing but walked into the shower. She washed them both carefully, noting his lack of response to her touch.

He's dying now, she thought. And what would happen to her when he does?

* * *

**18 months into the Glorious Reign of Empress Hoshi Sato**

"Well, Doctor?" Jane said harshly to the Denobulan.

"It's viable, Commander Tucker." He gave her that manic grin that sent shivers of dread down her spine. "14 weeks gestation and it is a boy."

She closed her eyes in relief. The last two attempts to impregnate her with Charles' frozen sperm had failed and this was her last chance. She'd been glad that Charles had been rendered impotent by the progress of his illness. She could not take any risks with this pregnancy. She couldn't be certain that he hadn't caused her previous two miscarriages. Both of them had occurred not long after they had had physically demanding sex.

She got off the bed, still thinking of him. She needed to make a decision. Sato's reign was becoming untenable, General Reed was unreachable and she feared he was plotting to overthrow the Empress.

Charles had deteriorated rapidly in the last couple of weeks and was now bed bound, paralysed from the chest down as his nervous system slowly decayed.

Charles was a burden to her now and he was of no use to the Empire. He had run out of time to complete his work and the fleet of_ Defiant_ class ships were not ready to be built. Yet Jane still hesitated, thinking of the child inside her.

She turned to Phlox.

"You know what I need?"

The Denobulan gave her two hyposprays. She glanced at them to check the labelling and left to carry out one more task.

First she need the Empress to witness. Perhaps then she would realise her reign would soon be over.

* * *

The Empress had come as Jane had requested. She and the Empress had become close, recognising each other as kindred spirits.

The Empress looked down at the dying engineer, her former lover, a frail shell of the man he used to be. She knew all her hopes were dying with this man. She feared Reed had betrayed her as her lover, Mayweather, had predicted. There would not be a fleet of advance ships to save her. They were simply waiting for Reed to make his move.

She glanced at her friend who was looking at her sleeping husband. Jane shook him gently and he woke.

"Charles I'm back."

"What did the doctor say?" he whispered.

"The foetus is viable and it's a boy."

"So there'll be a Charles Tucker the fourth in this universe. Pity I won't live to see him."

Jane didn't respond at first, simply stroked his thinning hair.

"Charles, I l-" she started to say but he stopped her.

"Don't start lying to me now" he said. "The child is enough. You know what you hafta do." He closed his eyes, knowing he would never open them again.

She took the first hypospray and injected him. Shortly after, his breathing settled into the rhythm of sedated sleep. She blinked back the tears that started to form when she considered her husband.

"How much longer does he have?"asked the Empress.

Jane showed her the other hypospray and Sato looked at Jane with respect.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sato asked her friend and advisor.

"He's useless to us now, my Empress. And I don't want to watch him suffer any more.

"He's lost so much, his looks, his strength. Two weeks ago he lost the use of his legs. He's now paralysed from the chest down. He's starting to lose his memory as well." Jane couldn't hold back the tears any longer and she let them flow though her voice remained calm and steady.

"It won't be long before he forgets wh ohe is, who I am. He was clear about his wishes."

Jane reached over and stroked her husband's scarred cheek.

"The Empire values individual lives so little, if Henry Archer had paid more attention to safety rather than expediency, perhaps my husband wouldn't be lying here dying. Maybe then he would have had the chance to complete his work on the _Defiant_. And maybe we would have been able to build the mighty fleet you need to keep in power."

The Empress flinched at Jane's harsh words. The two women had somehow formed a bond of friendship over the past two years and only that allowed Jane to speak to her Empress with such honesty.

"We still don't know for certain Reed has turned against us. He is a long way from here, it may be difficult for him to contact us."

"Yes, my Empress." Jane didn't contradict the woman. She, Charles and Mayweather had argued too many times over Sato's irrational trust of General Reed. Instead she turned back to more immediate matters, as she readied the hypospray.

The Empress watched as Jane Tucker press the hypospray into her husband's neck.

"Jane, did you love him?" she asked, curiously. Love was a rare commodity.

Jane smiled, drying her tears.

"I don't think either of us knew how to love. All I know is that we needed each other."

It didn't take long before the rise and fall of his chest ceased. She kissed him one last time.

"Goodbye, Charles" she whispered. "I will always be yours."

* * *

**2 years into the Glorious Reign of Empress Hoshi Sato**

A baby's cry pierced the room.

"Do you want to hold your son?" said the midwife.

Jane buried her face against the wall she been leaning against when she had pushed the child out of her body. She wasn't aware of anything except the cessation of pain after the final push. I did it, she thought to her husband, dead this past six months. You have a son.

She pushed herself up, back on to her heels and took the baby who immediately rooted for her breast. Knowing this would be the only time she could do this, she let the child suckle. She stroked the soft head, still sticky with fluids from the birth. The midwives, having delivered the placenta and cut the cord, helped maneouvre her into a sitting position, while the child fed.

The dark haired, dark eyed woman, standing to the back, approached her. She waited until the child came off the breast, now sated.

"Would you like me to take the bairn now?" she said, in her soft Aberdeen accent.

"Please, Lydia" Jane said. The longer she waited the harder it would be. She loosened her hold on the child and Lydia took him, wrapping him in a soft blanket.

"We'll keep him safe, my husband and I" said Lydia. "Do you have a name for him?"

"Charles Tucker" Jane whispered, weariness overtaking her.

"Charles Tucker Scott" Lydia said, with gentle reproof. "He is part of our family now."

Jane didn't argue, she had to save her strength for the battle ahead.

* * *

**Three days later.**

"Empress, we have to leave now!" urged Captain Jane Tucker, as the building around her started to collapse. They were just a few metres away from the transporter pad, hopefully there would be enough power to get them to the Defiant.

Luck was on their side and Jane was able to beam them both to the Defiant. They both ran to the bridge. When she got there, Major Mayweather was already there, trying to power up weapons.

"Status, Major!" Captain Tucker gasped, collapsing into the centre seat, ignoring the stab of agony as her postpartum body rebelled against the stress she was putting it through. The Empress grabbed the handrail behind her.

"Our shield generators are knocked out, we've lost the aft torpedoes and I've not got much power left for the phasers. We've lost the starboard nacelle as well." Mayweather read out the damage with despair in his voice.

Captain Tucker realised the situation was hopeless. She turned furiously to the Empress.

"You should have listened to your lover and not let Reed live" she snapped. "We never should have trusted him!"

"And maybe if you husband had let Reed fuck him, instead of humiliating him, he wouldn't have turned against him!" retorted Sato in retaliation. Tucker refused to answer. Maybe Sato was right. If Charles had become Reed's lover, she certainly wouldn't be here.

"Fire everything we have at the lead ship" Tucker ordered. "Helmsman, take us into the thick of the rebel fleet."

"Captain we are being hailed!"

Tucker turned to the comm officer.

"On screen!"

"This is General Reed, surrender the ship and give us Sato." He smiled cruelly into the viewscreen, looking at Tucker. "So the rumours are true, you are pregnant. Hope the whelp takes after you and not your dead husband."

"I was, you bastard!" she ground out. She fought waves of dizziness as she stood and faced the general.

"Damn" he said. "I was hoping to kill the little brat myself. Now surrender the ship and I'll make your death a clean one. I'm only interested in the Empress."

I'll destroy this ship first" she snarled back at him.

"You are outnumbered, your shields are down and your weapons are failing. You don't stand a chance!"

Tucker signaled the comm officer to cut the signal. He was right, they didn't stand a chance. But she was not going to let Reed get his hands on this ship. She looked at Mayweather.

"Do what you can, Major, buy me some time" she said, "I'll be in Engineering."

"What are you going to do, Jane?" asked Sato. Jane smiled at her Empress and friend.

"I'm going to destroy this ship and take that bastard Reed out with us. Mayweather, when I give the signal, ram Reed's ship."

Mayweather nodded, respect showing on his face. Sato merely looked resigned. This would be a cleaner death than she would get at the hands of General Reed. She went over to Mayweather, who turned briefly from his station to kiss her, before charging weapons again.

Tucker headed to engineering, which was in chaos and grabbed the first crewman she saw.

"Where is Fuller?" she demanded. The crewman shook his head and pointed to the body of the chief engineer.

"Fine, I'll do it." She went over to the warp reactor and started the overload, leaning heavily on the control panel. Immediately, the alarms went off and the computer began announcing a count down.

"Reactor breach in five minutes and counting."

Tucker staggered over to the comm panel, the pain in her abdomen and between her legs was getting worse and her breasts were painfully engorged, hot and hard. She ignored it all, knowing it would soon be over.

"Tucker to Bridge"

"Yes, Captain." Mayweather immediately responded.

"Set a course to ram Reed's ship, in four minutes. Tucker out."

There was nothing left for her to do.

She looked around the engine room in which she and her husband had spent so much time. So many memories, of them making the most amazing discoveries of engineering. She walked over to a small corner near the warp reactor, sinking to the floor, ignoring the blood now soaking her uniform between her legs. She remember the first time Charles had fucked her against the wall there. She smiled, it hadn't been the last either. She leaned against it, closing her eyes. She could almost feel the touch of his hands on his skin.

She thought of his child as well, knowing that he was safe from Reed's clutches, she'd made sure of it. The child was expression of the love she hadn't even realised she'd felt until the moment she'd held the baby in her arms.

She knew, however, that Charles had never loved her. She was to him a convenience, someone who just put herself in his way. Yet he valued her in his own way. Perhaps if he'd lived things would have been different. Maybe she'd find out in the afterlife.

"Reactor breach in one minute" the computer announced. There was an impact, an explosion and the sound of shearing metal as the Defiant collided with Reed's ship. A support beam collapsed on top of her, breaking her legs. She could hardly feel them.

She closed her eyes. It was almost over.

The light grew bright as the reactor blew.


End file.
